Scars of the Past
by Jade-Dusk
Summary: This is a Claudia fanfiction. Its my idea of her childhood, and yes its violent and depressing. If you love her, I hope you'll read this.
1. Shopping Market

**Warning:** rated M for violence, gore andpossible sexual content and drug abuse.

**Authors note: **Hello everyone. This si a Claudia fanfiction and I hope you will all enjoy it. If you are a very serious Claudia fan, you may not enjoy what I believe may have happened in her childhood. Lets all keep in mind this is fanFICTION and we are allowed to think what we want. Don't be alarmed by any errors, I'm very politically incorrect sometimes and make grammer errors. if you can't deal with this, walk away now. I just hope you don't. I hope everyone enjoys this because I've worked hard on it. If you like it, review and tell me why, if you didn't, tell me why and make sure these are fair reasons. if I get a review along the lines of "This is crap!" without reason, I will simply dimiss it. 

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**Scars of the Past**

There she sat. Darkness surrounded her in the small corner of peaceful silence. She was drinking in the bitter sweet taste of being alone in her room. She was alone a lot as a matter of fact. Her palled, freckled skin clashed with her high school uniform she was to wear everyday this upcoming fall. She decided to try on the uniform to see how it fit. She thought it was rather nice looking on her. The red plaid skirt fell perfectly around her legs. The blouse was white and although it looked horrible with her skin tone, she loved that colour. The colour of purity.

She was currently on her summer break. She hated summer break, it only meant more time to be spent to achieve nothing at her boring house aside from reading the bible her father supplied from the local church. She sat emotionless, her knees up to her breast as she gazed into the oblivion of her opposing wall. She cradled her knees in her delicate palled arms. Her ice blue eyes were only obstructed by a minor individual strand of silvery blond hair. She blew the hair out of her eyes. She cherished the darkness, she also loved the silence. It made up for all the hurtful sounds her ears captured over the years. Ugly, stupid, bitch, freak of nature. Those were only a few words rumbling about in her morbid mind. Those people were happy. How can happy people be so cruel? I guess when you have everything, you like to laugh at the misfortune of others. She thought averting her eyes to the wooden floor.

She was never a happy child. She only enjoyed few things in life: reading the bible, reminiscence of her better days, pretending to be your average 15 year old and sitting alone in the dark in deep thought. She was in very deep thought at this very moment. She was remembering a dream she had the previous night. Her goddess was in a sparkling ball of light telling her she would be the one. She was the chosen one, only she could save them all. She leaned her head back against the wall and thought. How could she accomplish that, she had no idea what it meant. Suddenly her brilliant icy eyes shot towards her doorway. She felt something was going to happen. What could it be? Ah yes… Him again. She thought as the voices in her head warned her. "Claudia! Get down here!" called out the angered voice of her father, Leonard Wolf.

Claudia snapped out of the deep thought she was in. A shiver crawled down her tender spine, not from the terrifying voices she heard when she was in deep thought, but from that haunting voice that just called out. Her father. A word most children thought of when someone mentioned hero, or parent. Father was a word that came to mind when she thought of the words, horror and pain. "Yes father!" She replied as she stood up.

She straightened her plaid skirt and proceeded down the old creaky steps of her and her fathers house. To her, this wasn't a home. "A home is where the heart is." was a line she's read in a novel once. It was impossible for her to find that perfect house. She didn't even think she possessed a heart. She only felt a few things in her life. Love wasn't one of them. Fear and anguish was her most common feelings. Fear was about the sneak up on her any moment after she rounded the corner of the stairwell. Claudia walked into the kitchen to see the back of her tall fit father. "You wanted to see me?" She asked in her shy voice.

Leonard turned to reveal the calm expression Claudia always felt relieved to see on her fathers naturally angry face. " We're out of Grocery supplies. Take this list and my twenty dollars and go buy what's on that list." He grumbled, scratching his silvery blond scalp.

"Yes father." She said picking up the list and cash sitting on the table in front of her.

He took a glance at his curious daughter as she examined the list. "What are you wearing?" He questioned with a look of disgust spreading across his face.

Claudia looked up with a start. She was puzzled but didn't question him. "I-its my school uniform." She replied gripping the bottom rim of the skirt.

He clenched his jaw with disapproval. "What have they got students wearing at school? Go take that thing off. I won't have you walking around town like a prostitute." Leonard replied in a snaky tone.  
Claudia looked down at her plain white buttoned up blouse and felt depressed. She thought she looked like a normal girl when she wore her uniform. By normal, she meant like a happy carefree girl with a nice family and a nice cozy house. "ARE YOU GOING TO STAND THERE ALL DAY? GO!" He snapped, breaking her out of her daze.

She gasped quietly and shook her head. She turned around and headed up the steps with the list and money in hand. She hated leaving the house. All the annoying kids from her old elementary school would eventually have to see her. She hated people who made fun of her. She always felt alone when a person would confront her and tease her. She felt as though nothing in the world could stop her from feeling the loneliness of being different. She walked into her dark bedroom and pulled the blinds up so she could see the light. She squinted as the intensity of the sun met her pupils. She turned around, blinking three consecutive times to see past the spots the light tattooed in her eyes. She walked to her dresser and opened it. A long purple skirt caught her eye. She pulled it out and laid it neatly on her perfectly made bed. She closed that drawer and opened one containing her summer shirts. She pulled out an elegant light purple shirt. It was wrist length and sheer. She felt a smile pull across her bored looking face. This shirt was her mothers. It had been hers since her mother had died when she was only five. She never knew the details of how she died, but it had been some kind of freak accident. Her mother was beautiful in so many ways. She had thick blond hair and sea blue eyes Claudia wished she had instead of her fathers icy blue eyes. She would always be concerned when Claudia did so much as scuff her foot too hard. Claudia's mother always sung her a lullaby to sleep. Claudia loved her voice more than anything. Her scent was always the same. It was the scent of Lilacs and lavender. Claudia breathed in the shirt as though expecting to smell her mothers scent. She could only smell her normal laundry detergent she used in the washing machine. Claudia laid the shirt on top of her skirt. She pulled her white blouse over her head and allowed it to pile itself untidily on the floor in a ball. She pulled the light purple shirt over her head, messing her hair at the back. She slid the skirt off and replaced it with the floor length one instead. She neatly put her school uniform in its own drawer. She picked up the list and money and headed out the door for the market area.

She walked down the street humming quietly. She watched as some people from Midwich Elementary walked by. They were the most beautiful girls at school. They gave Claudia the cold shoulder and made sure she knew how much of an outcast she was. Claudia let the blond locks cover her eyes. She hated the looks she received all of the time. She wished they wouldn't be given to her. She walked alone along the street finally. She was nearing the market. She was happy it was a sunny day, but she knew she was going to get sunburn. Claudia stopped to look inside the window of the antique store. She liked some of the items inside. She's always wanted a lamp from there. She smiled slightly as she spotted it. It had stained blue glass on the lamp shade and the rest of it was gold. She knew if her father ever knew she wanted it he would more than likely hit her. She let her face fall into a sad expression again. She continued to walk along the street.

She squinted as she turned the corner. The light began to glare into her pale eyes. Claudia decided to speed up her pace as she saw some of the football players at her school walking nearby. They were drinking cold slushies to beat the heat. Claudia felt panic in her heart. She knew something was going to happen again. Claudia watched as one of the boys had the expression of realization to who she was. A horrible smirk grew on his face. He eye widened. "Hey, Jimmy, it's Claudia Wolf." The one boy said.

The one who Claudia guessed was Jimmy looked at her with a smug face. "Well, well, we haven't heard from you in ages. I suppose we shouldn't be so rude. It's a hot day after all. We should let you cool off. What do you say boys?" Jimmy asked.

Claudia knew something bad was about to happen. She didn't know exactly what she was about to experience, but she found out fast, just as the slushie Jimmy was carrying flew onto her face. Claudia made a scream from shock. "That's much better, isn't it?" Jimmy laughed as she tried to wipe it off.

"No, please stop!" Claudia tried, but it was too late.

The other boys began to throw them at her. One hit her in the stomach, another on the shoulder. Just when Claudia thought the torment was over, the final boy stepped closer to her. She shook slightly with fear. He stuck a finger in the low collar of her shirt and poured it down. The boys kept walking and laughed.

Claudia wished she had done something. She felt pathetic. She began to cry. She sat on the nearest step. She began to weep.

After a few minutes she collected herself and walked the rest of the way to the market. She was sticky but it was the least of her worries. She walked into the fruit section. She looked at her list. She was to buy some apples, bananas and grapes. She decided to get those first before getting the vegetables. She picked up a basket and began placing some apples into the bottom. She was ever so careful to not bruise them or damage them. She picked up two vines of grapes while she waited for the people in front of the bananas to go away. She looked over the fruit to see a boy sitting on some steps nearby. He was deep into his book. She had one leg crossed over the other, his book sat on his lap as he bent over to read it, his hair hung low in his face and he was biting his nails on his free hand. She stared for a minute before proceeding on. She guessed he was new to the town, or he was a tourist. She walked over to the banana bin and collected six bananas. She quickly walked over to the vegetable stand and began to collect the next items on her list, carrots and green beans. She placed everything carefully into the basket. She made sure she didn't hurt any of her food. She paid for her food and decided to go on back to her house.

She looked over at the boy. He was still sitting there, reading his book. She smiled at how peaceful he was. She wished she could be at peace for one day of her life. She decided to stop wishing for the impossible, and continued home.


	2. fatherly hatred, motherly love

Authors Note: Wow, not many reviews yet, but I hope you guys still enjoyed it regardless.This chapter is a bit harsh so bear with it. Enjoy!

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Claudia walked inside her house. She wasn't sure if her father was in a good mood or a very bad mood. She walked quietly into the kitchen. She tried to make as little noise as possible to not alarm him. She began placing the food in her bag, into the fridge. She made a beautiful arrangement out of the fruits. She still felt sticky so she took a shower quickly. She walked back down into the kitchen to get some grapes. "Claudia!" yelled her father's voice.

"Yes father?" She replied shakily.

"Do you realize how long you've taken?" He grumbled.

She began to feel herself become nervous. He walked into the kitchen to look at his terrified daughter. "You are fifteen minutes late. Do you know how angry that makes me Claudia?" He asked her.

She shivered knowing what he was about to do. She knew she was going to feel pain today. "I'm sorry father-" Claudia began.

"God will never respect those who show up late. I am your father, how do you think that makes me feel?" He grumbled.

"But-"

"Answer me you little bitch!" He yelled.

"It makes you f-feel… Angry." Claudia replied.

"What is the rule of making a father angry?"

"I must be… punished." She shook.

"Yes. You must." He yelled.

He picked her up by her long blond hair. He drug her into the living room. He placed her sitting, facing the wall. He picked up the bible he was entitled to read as priest of the order. He flipped through a few pages and forced her to read out loud. "This chapter is about children like you. Those who don't appreciate what the goddess is here to bring us all. Read it!" He yelled as he took off his belt.

She whimpered but didn't disobey. "The holy mother was furious with the children of the earth. They destroyed her earth, her water, her air, light and even time. She believed the sinners had to pay." Claudia began to translate the thick religious words into simple sentences she could say.

Her father whacked her hard on the back of the shoulder with his belt. It felt like a whip made of steel. It dug a scar into her back. She began to bleed. "You have no respect for the goddess. You won't even read her words without this childish subtext!" He yelled as he whacked her again over the previous scar.

Claudia screamed with the pain. Claudia felt her eyes roll into the back of her head with the sting. Leonard whacked her five consecutive times without a pause. Her back was burning with pain. She felt as though hell itself climbed onto her shoulders to make itself home. She shrieked with anguish. She knew she couldn't end it. She rolled away and cowered in the corner of the room. "I know, I've learned my lesson! I won't do it again!"

"No Claudia, you will take the punishment earned. No child may anger their father without consequences. You're going to pay." He yelled.

He slapped her face hard. She felt her teeth scrap her cheek. Blood began to pour from her lips. Her tears that slide rapidly from her eyes mingled with the blood on her lips. Before she could breathe a breath of relief, he kicked her stomach once, but hard enough to be five times. She rolled onto her side and began to sob. He picked her up by her hair and looked at her tear soaked eyes. "You always were pathetic." He rubbed in.

Claudia lay there, curled up on the floor. She was waiting for the pain to end. She couldn't move to her room until it stopped. It was another typical day she thought. Another typical day in the house hold of Leonard Wolf. Leonard threw the bible from the other end of the room at her. It landed in front of her face. "You'll want to read that. You're going to join the cult at the starting of your high school year. I want my daughter to run this cult; I want the goddess to be proud." He smirked.

Claudia coughed slightly but didn't make a move to go to her room. She eventually relaxed her body. She prayed for the pain to end. She thanked the goddess and slowly, picked herself up. She carried the heavy book up the stairs with her. She wobbled all the way to the top. She crawled to her door. The blood and tears made the floor slippery, but she managed well.

She placed the bible on the table next to her bed. She decided to sleep. She wanted to recover before doing anything. She took off her shirt. It was dotted in blood from her hands and shoulders. She took off her mothers beautiful skirt and tossed it lazily into the pile of dirty clothes. She dropped her weak body onto her bed and grabbed the covers. She wanted to run. She wanted to be free. She wished for one day of happiness. She wished for someone to love her. She wished they would show her, she could be happy. She wanted a lot, considering she was only fourteen. She closed her tired eyes and began to dream. She woke up a few hours later still in pain. After a short rest her body felt in even more pain. She decided that the pain was bearable to walk in. She slowly got up and made her way to her closet. She put on an easy to do up dress. She made her way down the stairs. She tumbled down the last step. "Where are you going?" Leonard asked from the kitchen table.

"May I go to Alessa's house?" She asked.

"Be back to make dinner." He replied.

She didn't say another word. She walked outside without shoes as usual. She walked down the street and tried to avoid anyone from school. She was afraid to get hurt psychically or emotionally again. She was pleased that Alessa only live down the street from her. She didn't have too far to walk. She paced fast as she reached the house. She walked onto the beautiful porch. She knocked three times and waited for Alessa or Dahlia to answer. "Claudia. What are you doing here?" Alessa asked answering the door.

Claudia looked into the deep, dark eyes of her best friend and began to cry. Alessa walked over to hug her. "Oh, no. Did He hurt you again?" Alessa asked her sobbing friend.

She stroked Claudia's long hair that lay on her back. "Ah!" Claudia screeched as Alessa's palm rubbed one of her sore spots.

"Is it your back?"

Claudia nodded. Alessa took her pale hand and led her into the house. Alessa sat Claudia down at a chair. Alessa poured her a warm glass of milk to relax. "Here. Drink this, you'll feel much better." Alessa assured her.

Claudia gulped it all down fast as though someone had deprived her of fluid. Alessa took a cloth and began to wash Claudia's back. She flinched at the sight. The bruises seemed black, and the cuts deep. She laid the warm cloth over Claudia's back. It felt better to Claudia. Alessa placed her hands on Claudia's cuts. She closed her eyes. Claudia felt the pain disappear. Claudia smiled when Alessa came into view again. "Thank you. I feel much better." Claudia smiled.

"You don't have to thank me. We're like sisters. I'd do anything for you little sister." Alessa smiled.

Claudia smiled back. "Claudia Wolf." Dahlias voice rang out in an eerie way.

Claudia and Alessa both looked at her. "Will you be staying for dinner, or will you be leaving?" Dahlia asked.

"I came to visit. I can't stay." Claudia explained.

"Well my dear, you are welcome here anytime. My heart has plenty of space for you little one." Dahlia smiled.

Claudia felt relieved. She'd always thought of Dahlia as a mother figure in her life. "My father tells me you are joining the church this fall." Dahlia commented.

"That's right." Claudia replied as Alessa winced at the sound of the church.

"I hope to see you do wonders in that church. You and another young boy are joining. This one is from England. He is bound to show respect to us. He's very inquisitive I hear." Dahlia explained.

"Oh, you girls don't want to hear me ramble on. Go play with your toys." Dahlia encouraged.

Alessa and Claudia made their way up to Alessa's room. "You are a very lucky girl. Your mom is so nice." Claudia said enviously.

"She only does that when you're around. She loves you more than me." Alessa said to her best friend.

"Do you want to play a game of go fish?" Alessa asked holding up her cards that were previously scattered about the corner of her room.

"Yes." Claudia grinned.

"Do you know anything about the new boy at the church?" Claudia asked.

"I've met him once. He seems like us. Kids pick on him. He also loves books." Alessa told Claudia.

"So you've talked to him before?" Claudia asked.

"No, I can pick up on his thoughts and feelings." Alessa reminded her.

"What does he look like?" Claudia asked.

"Are you looking for a boyfriend, Claudia?" Alessa teased.

"No." Claudia went slightly pink. "Never mind Alessa, I want to start playing the game before I have to go home." Claudia decided.

"Ok, I'll deal first." Alessa decided.


	3. Burns & Rejection

Authors Note: Sorry for the wait, but I've been a little preoccupied. I hope everyone ikes this chapter its a little sad but it introduces some people for the first time. Read to find out who!

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"Thanks for letting me stay here for a few hours." Claudia thanked Alessa and Dahlia.

They two waved happily and watched her walked down the street. Claudia walked alone. Alone in the sense no one was on the street. She could see the fog rolling in. It was coming from the direction of the Church. Claudia never understood why some nights the fog rolled in. It never matched up with weather. Claudia ignored the fog and walked slowly.

She looked over to the dark house to the right. It had dark brown bricks and a black door. She knew exactly who lived there. Her name was Lucy. Lucy and Claudia had been rivals for many years. She and Claudia used to be friends as children. Lucy turned out being the type of girl you can't trust. She told people secrets Claudia made her promise to keep. She had no honor. They fought over almost everything. There was no denying; Lucy started most if not all the arguments. Claudia knew she would be attending the same high-school. Claudia shot her eyes to the window. She sensed someone was there. She saw locks of curly red hair at the window. Claudia knew it was Lucy. It was unmistakable. Claudia turned away and kept heading home. Her body was still aching from earlier. She had her cuts healed, but not her strength. Claudia was happy it was silent out. Nothing made a noise, not even her bare feet smacking against the pavement. Claudia knew she wasn't fully alone. The town was watched over by the God of Silent Hill. Claudia loved knowing she was watched from above. She also loved the idea of her mother watching her. She missed her mother a lot. Her father had forbidden Claudia to talk about her. She only talked about her mother with Alessa. Alessa told her that one day she would see her mother again. She was just to give it some time. Claudia walked around the block and neared her house. She looked over to the left. The boy from the market was sitting on his porch, he was reading yet again. Claudia nearly felt her hear stop when he looked up at her. His eyes were the colour of emeralds. He pushed his glasses up with his index finger. He smiled slightly as she continued past.

Claudia walked slightly slower. She was going to be approaching her front door in a matter of minutes. She knew she had to cook something important as usual. In Claudia's house they didn't cook things like macaroni & cheese or salads other simple to cook meals, she only cooked things her father found 'respectable' like fresh vegetables, common meats and sometimes rice or her fathers favourite, Liver. Claudia was aware a breast of chicken was in her fridge from memory. She decided that she might have the carrots she bought today and the beans too. She sighed. She hoped tonight she would do something right. She just wished that one day she could do without pain or injury. She walked up to her front door and took a deep breath. She walked inside. "You're lucky, Claudia!" Leonard yelled at her.

"What for?" She asked unsure.

"One more minute and I would have to hurt you again." He replied without looking up from his book.

"Sorry father." She apologized.

"Shut your mouth. Get cooking." He instructed.

Claudia walked over to the refrigerator. She pulled the two chicken breasts out of the fridge. Claudia loved chicken. It was one of her favourite things to eat. She put the chicken in the oven and prepared the heat. Claudia began preparing the Vegetables next. Claudia looked into the other room while she placed the vegetables on the burner. Her father was still reading the book. He looked deep into the book. Suddenly she felt searing pain on her hand. "AHH!"

She pulled her hand back. She had a burn mark across the top of her hand. "CLAUDIA!" Leonard yelled.

"Sorry, I burnt myself." Claudia replied.

"Stupid bitch…" He mumbled back.

She felt like she was going to cry. It hurt so badly. She knew if she cried he would hurt her. She began putting her hand under the cool tap water to ease the pain. It felt better under the water. She sat at the table waiting. She looked at her hand. A little red mark was left from the burn. She sat there staring at the burn when suddenly she heard a knock at the door. "Claudia! Get that!" Leonard commanded her.

Claudia ran to the door fast and answered. The boy from up the street was standing there. "Yes, is this the home of Leonard Wolf?" He asked.

"Uh… Yes. Yes it is." Claudia said to him. "Father!" Claudia called.

"What do you want?" He snapped.

"It's for you!" She replied.

She looked back at the boy. He smiled a little just due to the awkward silence. She looked down shyly but waited for her father to come over. "Yes young man? How may I service you?" He asked.

"Well, my parents and I wanted to join your church. I was told you were the priest and that I should be talking to you about the day to join." The boy said.

"What's your name?" Leonard asked.

"The names Vincent." He shot a small glance at Claudia.

Claudia smiled shyly at him. She thought he was a very good looking boy. He had a but of acne and braces, but aside from that, he was very charming just to look at, also his eyes were emerald green. "Claudia! Get back to the kitchen make sure nothing burns." She felt a smack against her back.

Leonard tried to make it look he was patting her back in front of Vincent, but it hurt. "Yes father." Claudia said going back.

Vincent watched her. "Now, I will give you a copy of our bible and on Sunday, you and your family should just come on inside. Out mourning mass starts at eight am." Claudia heard him say from the kitchen.

Claudia poked her head through the door way to watch them. His metal braces reflected in the light through his half open mouth. Claudia looked at him sideways. She felt like she had known him for a while, although she'd only just met him today. Vincent flipped through the pages fast with his thumb along the sides of the pages. He looked interested. "I'll be by on Sunday with my mom." Vincent said with a small smile as he looked up at her father slightly.

Claudia turned off the stove and put the chicken on plates. She began places vegetables on the side. She placed the plates in front of her spot and her fathers spot to eat. "Father!" Claudia called.

"What? Can't you see I'm talking!" he snapped.

Vincent looked alarmed by this. "Uh… dinner!" She replied.

"Oh… Sorry Vincent, we'll have to continue this some other time." He said to him.

"Not a problem sir." Vincent extended his hand.

Leonard shook it. "Goodbye." Vincent said.

Vincent nodded at Claudia who was in the kitchen doorway. Claudia just stared as he walked away. "Claudia… I'm very disappointed in you." Leonard said to her as he closed the door.

"Why?" She asked fearfully.

"The constant interrupting and don't pretend I didn't see those looks you gave him. No daughter of mine is going to get knocked up by that boy. He deserves better than the likes of you." Leonard said.

Claudia felt a punch in the stomach. He always made her feel worthless. Leonard sat down at the table and began to saw away at his chicken. He stuck some in his mouth and swallowed. Claudia ate small bites but kept rubbing her burn. "What is that?" He asked.

"Nothing!" She replied.

"You burnt yourself?" He asked.

"Yes…" She replied.

Leonard shoved the plate away. "I can't eat knowing my clumsy daughter made this meal… I bet you even bled inside the pan." He looked menacing.

"No! I didn't!" She assured.

"Forget it, Claudia. You always were taking after your mother and all her stupidity. I can't eat in the presence of a fool." He scowled.

"But-!" She looked down defeated.

Leonard left the room and went to go to bed. She continued to eat until she was full. She threw the wasted food in the garbage and began to cry sadly. She hated herself. She was ugly, she was too skinny, she was too pale, she had gross hair, and her face was too freckly. She hated everything about herself. Her father liked to point out the worst things about her. Claudia washed the dishes like she was supposed to do. She scrubbed hard until her burnt hand was throbbing. She finished up the other plate and put it in the cupboard with the rest. Claudia soaked her burnt hand under the cool tap water. She decided this would be a good time to use her ice pack. She went into the freezer and pulled an ice pack out. She placed it on her hand. It felt so good. She decided to go up to her room. It was early, but she was indeed tired after such a straining day. She went up to her room. "Where is it this time?" She asked herself.

She finally spotted it. It was her little pink diary. "Ah! There you are." She smiled. She picked up the pen sitting beside it.

"Dear, diary." She started.

"I tried on my school uniform today. I look horrible as usual." She started sadly.

"Keep it down!" Leonard yelled from the other room.

Claudia sighed. She began to whisper. "I went to the market today. Some boys from school threw slushies at me. One went down my shirt. It was horrible." She felt a tear come to her eye.

"My father beat me for being late." She finally wrote. She decided to take a break. Remembering her hard moments of the day always made her cry. She sat there; she held a pillow to her face as she cried inside of it. She hated it when people from school made fun of her. She only had one friend as it was. No one liked her. She was an outcast. She was soaked in her tears. They covered her face. She wiped them off. She knew she had to think about the good things in her day. "I… I saw Alessa…. She gave me milk and healed my scars again. I met a boy. His name was Vincent." She smiled.

"He was nice and smiled at me." She wrote.

She didn't have anything else she needed to write. She put her small diary back on the table she found it on. She decided to lie down on her bed. She closed her eyes. She breathed in the silence of her room. It was beautiful and peaceful. She just wished she could live in her silence forever. She knew it wasn't possible. "I wish I was stronger… I wish I was braver…" She whispered to herself.

Maybe I will be. One day.


	4. New Church goers welcomed!

Authors note: I hope everyone likes this chapter, it has a tiny bit of puppy love in here but you should still enjoy it! So... Enjoy!

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Claudia sat up in her bed. It was Early Sunday morning. She just knew she was going to have to go to the morning mass soon. It was almost seven. She knew she was going to church this morning. She knew she would get to see that boy again. Vincent. She looked over at her pillow. She hugged her pillow. She breathed in the scent. It was her favourite pillow. She set it beside her vertically. She rolled over and hugged it. "Vincent, you're so soft." She whispered to the pillow.

Claudia blushed slightly. She felt weird about it, but she liked to pretend her pillow was someone she liked. She snuggled her cheek up against it. "Claudia?" She heard from down the stairs.

Claudia sat up. "Yes father?" She asked.

"Get up and make me something. I want it to be sitting in front of me in fourty minutes." He yelled.

Claudia flung the sheets off her and pulled out a long black long sleeved dress. She began slipping it over her head. She looked at herself in the mirror. It looked pretty. She decided her hair was the only thing not satisfactory. She brushed her long hair and made sure it looked very pretty for this morning. She walked down the stairs. She looked around for her dad. He was in the living room looking in the mirror. He was fixing his collar on his robes. Claudia proceeded into the kitchen and began pulling out eggs. She began to heat up the oven. She knew he dad only liked his eggs one way, scrambled. She prepared the bacon along with the eggs. Before her time was up she managed to get everything for him ready to eat. She took a small plate of egg and some bacon. She wasn't in the mood for much. She sat across from her father. She ate silently but never lifted her head up to look at him. He didn't say a word and the silence she loved was filling the room. She couldn't wait to go to church. It made her excited to see Vincent. He was so proper and looked at her with a smile. She began to smile as she ate. "What are you so happy about?" Leonard asked.

Claudia let her face drop. "Good eggs." She lied.

"You're pathetic. They're horrible." He sneered.

"Sorry father." She apologized.

She finished up her breakfast and prepared to leave. She was about to just walk out the door. "Claudia! Put your shoes on. You aren't going out like that you stupid bitch!" Leonard smacked her across the face.

She held her cheek. "Y-yes father…" She tried not to cry.

She slipped on her small blue shoes. She held her hand across her burning cheek.

Claudia walked through the double doors of her church. She was very happy to be arriving finally. As usual they were the first ones there. Claudia began helping her father set up for his mourning mass. She placed his book on the stand for him and she made sure everything else was in order. Claudia heard the doors open. She looked back to see Alessa and Dahlia entering the church. Alessa ran over to Claudia and gave her a big hug. Leonard looked slightly annoyed but did nothing. "Leonard." Dahlia greeted.

"Dahlia. Are you prepared for the new guests? If they pass we might as well invite them to our cult's nightly mass… the darker chapter of out religion." Leonard decided.

"I agree." Dahlia said.

"Alessa, I'm very excited to see him again." Claudia whispered.

"You saw him?" Alessa asked.

"Yes, he came over to my house for a bible. He smiled at me." Claudia blushed.

Alessa smiled. "You like him a lot already don't you?" Alessa asked.

"He's the only boy who has ever been nice to me." Claudia said looking down.

"Alessa, Claudia, take your seats." Dahlia advised them.

"Yes Dahlia." Claudia smiled sitting down.

Alessa sat at the far end of the bench. Claudia liked sitting in second row because she sat there quite often. No one ever sat beside them. Most people were afraid of them because they were the children of the priest and priestess of the order. Dahlia and Leonard stood at the podium and talked about the orderly things while people began entering. Alessa and Claudia watched with anticipation for Vincent. Many of the sisters and brothers of the order began pilling inside. The members of the order filled up the entire first row of benches and the community guests filled up the remaining benches. Finally, a boy with glasses and braces entered the church with a woman, Claudia guessed to be his mom. Claudia and Vincent made eye contact. Alessa pointed at the seat next to Claudia. Vincent's mother leaned close to his ear. She whispered a question. Vincent pointed at the bench Claudia was sitting on as a reply. His mother smiled and they headed for the benches. Claudia looked at Alessa and blushed. Vincent sat down next to her and looked somewhat happy. His mother looked like she was in her early thirties. She had light brown hair and hazel eyes. She was a very pleasant looking woman with a heart filled with love for her son. "Hi." Vincent said to her.

Claudia was shy but smiled. "Hi."

"Welcome sisters and brothers of the church." Leonard spoke out.

Claudia looked at all the members of the church. They were intensely listening to everything he was saying. Claudia always found that difficult for her to do. He was far too vicious when he spoke to her. "I would also like to welcome our newcomers and town members." Leonard gestured towards Vincent and his mother.

"Go ahead; stand up let everyone recognize you." Leonard encouraged.

Vincent and his mom stood up. Vincent looked slightly uncomfortable but nodded to everyone. Leonard continued on with his sermon. Claudia felt her eyes travel over Vincent's face a number of times during the sermon. She wasn't listening to her father's words; they seemed to melt in with the occasional shuffle of feet. He looked over at her when she wasn't looking as well. She couldn't help but blush. Claudia looked over at Alessa; she was smiling from ear to ear making her blush more. "Those who do not PAY ATTENTION to my words will go to Hell!" she heard her father yell.

"Listening is key importance at this church." He said to her.

She felt her eyes widen and stared at her father. She felt herself zone out. She began thinking about school. She knew she was going to get picked on There was nothing she could do. Maybe she should just ignore them all. What if Vincent went there? What if they talked? Maybe they would be friends. Maybe he would kiss her. What would it be like to kiss him? What if he was bad? What if he wasn't? Alessa jammed her elbow into Claudia's side Claudia realized she had been smiling very abnormally. "And that concludes today's mass. Please feel free to join us tonight sisters and brothers, good-day everyone." Leonard walked away from the podium.

Dahlia stood up in front of everyone and began clearing her throat. "Don't forget brothers and sisters of the order must meet tonight at the church and have our annual worship of the holy mother. It's her conception day after all!" Dahlia announced.

The whole room broke out with applause for Alessa. Claudia began to clap herself. Alessa looked kind of uncomfortable. She sat there and didn't bother moving. Claudia just shot her a small smile of reassurance. Claudia knew her best friend was going to be used in the ritual tonight. She just hoped Alessa would be ok. "Everyone may leave and go home. Remember to pray to your lord tonight!" Dahlia smiled.

Everyone began to get up. Claudia's row waited for everyone else to clear out first. Vincent got up after his mom did. He looked back at her as he walked. "Claudia, I think he really likes you." Alessa smiled.

"I wish." Claudia replied.

"Claudia!" Leonard shouted.

Alessa looked worried by his tone. She knew what it usually meant. Smack! Claudia felt her cheek sting. "Pay attention when I talk! How dare you!" he grabbed Claudia by her hair and began pulling her out of the church.

She felt herself begin to cry and whine. It hurt so badly. She felt the humiliation well up in her cheeks. Her face turned slightly pink. Vincent turned back in horror to see her whining from the way he held her up. "You need to learn some manners!" He dragged her out the back doors so none of the townspeople noticed. Little did they both know, Vincent caught an eyeful.

"Father! Please don't hurt me again! I'm sorry, I'll never do it again!" Claudia sobbed.

"Read this here! It says you are to listen to your elders because they withhold the wisdom of the holy mother. I think you will go to Hell!" Leonard yelled.

Claudia's lip trembled. "I'm sorry-" Smack!

Claudia sobbed harder. "Shut up!" He yelled.

She cried some more. "I will hit you again if you don't stop!" He demanded.

She bit her lip and tried to hold it in. She was silent. "I want you to go home and sit there thinking about what you've done." Leonard yelled.

"Yes father." She nodded getting up.

He kicked her back as she reached for the door. She stumbled into it and tried to run home.

Claudia walked back home and didn't look up. "Look at who it is. Claudia Wolf… Still howling ugly!" A female voice shouted out.

Claudia looked up. "Lucy…." She mumbled looking at the curly red hair.

"Nice bruises, did your daddy give you those?" Lucy mocked.

"Shut up, you'll go to hell Lucy!" Claudia yelled.

"At least I'm not living it." Lucy walked off.

Claudia looked mad. She walked fast down the street to her home. She walked inside and closed the door. She knew her father would remain at the church with Dahlia until tonight. She was home alone, to 'think about what she did'. She turned on the radio. A song she liked was playing. She closed her eyes and listened to it. She felt herself sway along with the song. She loved it so much. She heard a knock at the door. She turned the radio off. She walked to the door and opened it. "Hello?" She asked as she came face to face with Vincent.

"I was just worried about you… Are you ok?" he asked.

"Yes, I'm fine, you shouldn't be here." She said urgently.

"But-"

"Just go please… I don't want any more trouble!" She urged.

"Ok… Just here…" He placed a small flower in her hand.

"Oh… thank you.." She looked into his concerned eyes.

They nodded to each other and she closed the door. The flower was small, it was white. It matched her skin. She smelled it. It didn't have much of a scent. She still thought it was beautiful. She just wanted to know why he cared. She wasn't anything special. In fact, she wasn't anything much at all. Her father taught her that about herself. She walked up to her room. She folded the flower inside a page of her diary. She wanted to let it dry so she could keep it forever. She decided since her face was still burning to wash it. She wanted it to be cold. She wanted the pain to stop. She went to her bathroom to trickle the water on her face. It felt better. She couldn't believe he was mad over her not listening. It was a stupid reason to hit her. No one listens in church. She was surprised if any of the sisters were listening. He wasn't an interesting speaker, in fact, he was more boring than any of the speakers. Dahlia was at least expressive and humorous. "I guess it doesn't matter what I want… I don't control myself." She though.

She decided it was a good time for a long nap. She was exhausted today. She walked slowly to her bedroom. She smiled at her big puffy bed and laid down on it. It had a soft, smooth surface. She rubbed her face against the pillow. She felt herself getting sleepy. She shut her tried eyes and began to dream. She saw a land of green grass and bright blue skies. It was paradise. That's where she wanted to be. She would love to let everyone deserving of it, to be there. She would have it one day. Oh she would. Someday.


	5. first day of school

Authors Note: Hey everyone! i hope you lked the story so far. I'm a little concerned, I think I will wait until I get three different reviews before I decide to post the next chapter. I really hope you like this one its pretty casual but its a nice little one. Enjoy it while it lasts!

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Claudia dressed herself in her school uniform. She was ready for her first day of high school. She had been there last year, but she was still nervous. She stood in front of the mirror all morning and straightened her top. She had no sign of a wrinkle anywhere on her. She was wrinkle free, yet she felt the need to smooth it out a few more times. She ran her fingers through her long blond hair. It was silky soft today. She loved it.

Claudia decided to go downstairs and make breakfast. She wanted to make it quick before she left. She decided on a single egg. She knew he father was at church. He often went earlier during the school year. Claudia made her egg as fast as she could without undercooking it, and sat it on her plate. Claudia remembered when she was small. On her first day of school, her mom would get all her breakfast ready. Her mom got so excited. She loved the thought of her daughter learning new things. She would take a picture of her on the morning she was going. She remembered that day. She had long pigtails, and a pretty dress. She was happy then. Now she was in grade 10. She wasn't sure how she would deal with everything, but she had hoped she would be ok. She finished her egg and put the plate on the counter. She picked up her newly filled backpack. She had all the accessories she would need. She had pens, paper, pencils and even a big black binder. She was excited. She loved to learn. She was usually very good in all classes she took. She was excited; she was taking art this year. It was a personal treat for her to take art. She loved it more than most classes. Claudia slung the backpack over her back and left for the school.

After a short walk to school she found herself in the entrance. She watched many groups of people pass by. Some of the girls gave her looks as if she wasn't good enough to be there. Claudia ignored it. She was very much used to those looks. Claudia wanted to find Alessa. She began to feel her eyes attention being drawn to the hallway to the left. Claudia followed her instincts. She saw a small dot on the floor. It had black hair. Claudia walked over smiling. "Alessa?" She called.

Alessa looked up puzzled and then smiled when she saw her best friend coming towards her. "Hello, I'm rather surprised you aren't over there." Alessa pointed to the other end of the hall.

Claudia looked. She saw a boy sitting there reading. It didn't take her long to realize who it was. Vincent. He sat there mindlessly reading. He wasn't aware of anyone else in the hallway, just his book. "He's been there like that for a while. I think he's in love with his novel." Alessa commented.

The bell rang. "I have English." Alessa said.

"I have history. I'll see you later Alessa." Claudia waved.

Claudia walked into her history class. She kept her chin up as she received all the disgusted looks. Claudia sat down at the only desk left in the class. She was at the back of course. She opened her books and got ready to begin class.

Claudia looked at her timetable when the bell rang. She had math. She hated math. She couldn't wrap her mind around numbers. They were too complicated, yet another reason she hated dealing with money. Claudia sat down in the class alone. She stared off into space. She heard foot steps. "Hello Claudia." A female voice snarled.

"Lucy…" Claudia didn't look over.

"I'm going to make you miserable this year after what you did you me." Lucy vowed.

"Lucy, I didn't do it on purpose! Just leave me alone!" Claudia yelled.

"Yeah, and I guess you're going to tell me you have powers then? Grow up!" Lucy yelled sitting down in the front of the class.

Vincent walked into the classroom right after the outburst. He looked at Claudia and smiled. He sat down beside her. Claudia felt a chill down her spine. Lucy saw that no doubt. Claudia looked back at her. Lucy held a malicious smile on her face. Claudia swallowed. Not him.

More people piled into the classroom. Finally the teacher walked in. "Welcome." The teacher announced in his loud booming voice.

Claudia sat back. She wasn't going to get this class at all.

Claudia sat there and didn't take in a word of what the integer process included. She looked helplessly at the teacher as he spoke. Vincent must have noticed her confused expression as she stared at her worksheet. "Claudia, read this." He handed her his notes when the teacher wasn't looking.

Claudia read them. She started to understand what the integers were about. She finally looked back down to her sheet. She could do it. She smiled at Vincent and handed him his book back. Claudia began writing down some of the equations.

Claudia headed for the cafeteria after the bell rang. She spotted Alessa with her keen sight. She sat down next to her. "Hello Alessa how was your morning?" She asked.

"It's been ok. I'm more concerned about this afternoon. I have social studies." Alessa said angrily.

"You'll be ok." Claudia assured her.

"What a loser!" Claudia could hear a football player say.

Claudia looked over to the source. The football jocks were trying to push Vincent around. "Leave me alone!" Vincent yelled as they pushed him once more.

Claudia felt a burning fear in her heart. "Leave him alone!" Some people shouted at the situation.

With one last shove Vincent was on the ground. The football players laughed and walked away clearly satisfied. Claudia and Alessa got up and walked over to him. Claudia held out her hand for assistance. He tapped her hand out of the way and marched away. His face was beat red. Claudia knew he must have been feeling horrible. She experienced that kind of bullying a lot. She couldn't wait to go home.

Claudia made it to art finally. She got through her social studies with Alessa in the afternoon and she was about ready to go home in five minutes. She was finishing her first sketch. They were drawing items on the middle table. Claudia really liked this class. People were nice in here. Many of them smiled at her and talked to her. She knew that not all of them liked her, but she was happy they could pretend. It showed some respect. Claudia finished her sketch. She was proud of it, she drew quit well. She smiled at Alessa; she drew in a funny way. Suddenly the bell rang. Claudia picked up her stuff and decided to go to her locker. She undid the lock with a bit of trouble, she hadn't used it before. It would take some time to get used to. "Claudia?" A voice asked her.

She looked over to her left. "Oh… Vincent. Hi." She said looking at him.

"Um, I'm really sorry about earlier. I was just…" He started.

"Hurt. I know the feeling. Its ok, I don't think I could get mad at you about that." She smiled.

Vincent was pleased. "Uh, if you ever need any help with your math, I'd love to be your tutor." He offered.

"Sure, that would be great!" She smiled widely.

Vincent nodded. "Well, I'll see you tomorrow, I have to go home."

"Goodbye Vincent." Claudia waved.

"Goodbye Claudia." He replied.

Claudia walked out the doors of the school and headed walking towards her house. Claudia was happy to have had Vincent in math class. He was a big help to her. She began to remember Lucy among all those nice things. Lucy was going to hurt her? How? She was afraid to know, but she wanted to know. Lucy didn't believe Claudia; she thought Claudia had thrown her down the stairs last year in the presence of all the students. She would never do that. Lucy had called her a bitch and Claudia became angry and upset. Her rage somehow directed itself on Lucy and she was thrown all the way down the stairs. Lucy had fractured her collarbone and Claudia was left blamed. Maybe she was rightfully to be blamed, but she didn't mean to do it. Lucy was more embarrassed than anything that day; everyone in the hall saw her underwear under her skirt. Claudia continued walking as she neared her father's house. She could see the door. It was probably locked. Leonard loved to lock her out. She walked up to her door. She tried the handle, locked. She knocked on the door. Leonard surprisingly opened it. "Get in here." He yelled.

"What did I do?" She asked.

"You were born you little bitch! Now get upstairs, I have guests coming and I need you to cook and look nice." Leonard snapped.

"Guests? Nice?" Claudia questioned.

"Guest from the church. They're new and they want me to discuss things with them. I know its impossible for such an ugly girl to look even nice, but I would appreciate you clean and in nicer clothes. You look like a whore." He yelled.

Claudia ran upstairs without another word. She threw off her school clothes and stepped into a nice dark green dress. It wasn't very fancy, but it was a sundress she liked. She combed her long hair. She felt sad that she could never be beautiful. Her father knew she wasn't, it had to be true. She walked down the stairs and began making spaghetti. Her father loved spaghetti. She was often told to make it all the time. She was in much preparation. She had to make meatballs, sauce and cook the noodles. She knew on top of all that she still had to make garlic bread and set the table. "Father?" She asked.

"What?" He sneered as he read the paper.

"When are they coming?" She wondered.

"In two hours." He said looking at the clock.

"Well, I was hoping I could talk to you about something." She said to him as she stirred up a bowl of spaghetti sauce.

"What is it now?" He asked.

"Well… I'm not doing so well in math. Would I be able to visit a tutor a couple times a week?" She asked.

"Claudia, throw yourself off the top of the church if you wish. I could care less what happens to you." He yelled.

Claudia stiffened up. She hated it when he yelled. She felt like she couldn't move. She felt the spoon slip out of her hand and hit the floor with a clang. "Claudia!" He stood up and smacked her across the face.

"Smarten your act up!" He scolded watching her tremble as she tried to pick up the spoon.

"If you don't mind I would like to look like I have a daughter who can complete her jobs without seeming brain damaged!" He yelled sitting back down.

She rinsed the spoon off and held back a painful sob. She hated freezing up with fear. She hated humiliation. When will it end for her? She let the sauce cook on the stove. She began making meatballs. She wished something pleasant would come to mind, when she was upset, her thoughts usually helped her through. Claudia thought about Alessa. She wondered how she was doing. She wondered if she was happy. She hoped Dahlia was nothing like her father. She didn't think so. Dahlia showed her so much care; it would seem senseless to think that about her. She continued to make supper carefully.

Claudia had everything set up and ready for when the guests came. Leonard made sure he spoke the rules to Claudia before eating.

"I don't want you to show any sign of rudeness, I don't want to hear you say a word unless you are asked. I don't want you to get seconds unless our guests have had seconds. What I do want to see is manners and pride for me and the church." Leonard explained to her.

"Yes father. I will do as you say." Claudia replied.

"Good. Now go wait by the door." Leonard said walking away.

Claudia sat there and waited. She knew it would take them a while; she was good at sensing those things.

She picked up the book on the table next to her. It was the bible. She began looking through it. "I see you take interest in it." Her father said sounding proud for once.

"Um, yes, I do." She looked back at the page she was on.

"Marvelous!" Leonard praised.

Claudia looked up at him shocked. "I think I should start letting you attend night church with the faithful follows." He thought out loud.

Claudia felt her heart stop for a moment. How would this help her at all? Claudia stood up and directed her eyes to the door. She placed the book down and walked over. She opened the door after the first knock. She smiled and allowed the guests to enter her well furnished home. She took a deep breath. This wasn't going to be easy trying not to screw up, she was willing to try.


	6. Dahlias Little Secret

Authors Note: Thanks everyone for reviewing. This chapter took me a little bit because I had been forced away from writing for a bit so I apologize, I'm going to try keeping on track still. Well, enough babbling, enjoy!

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Claudia served everyone the dinner she made and sat down at the far corner of the table next to her father who sat at the end. They all put their hands together and closed their eyes. "Dear God, we thank you for all the blessings you have given us and salvation to come." Claudia said before they all ate.

Claudia opened her eyes and looked at the guests. There were two men and one silent woman. She could feel a strange aura about them. She decided to keep her thoughts to herself. "I see your daughter is very appreciative towards our God. It's a good habit; she may lead the order as you do Mr. Wolf." The man with the short greasy black hair commented.

"Please Kaufman, you can call me Leonard." Her father replied looking at Claudia, "I was thinking about taking her to one of the night meetings. Most of the town wouldn't approve of these meetings but I think my daughter is much ready for it." Leonard said to him.

Claudia took a sip of her water and said nothing. She wasn't supposed to talk. Claudia looked at the girl sitting beside Kaufman. They both locked eyes. Claudia had guessed she was a follower of the church by her clothes. She looked so uncomfortable; she didn't know why the poor girl was brought here. Perhaps she was friends with Kaufman? "Is there anyway way we could get Tamara joined into the order?" Kaufman asked gesturing to the silent girl beside him.

Leonard looked at her. "She's your niece is she not?" Leonard asked.

"Yes, she's been studying very hard. She takes great interest in the order." Kaufman said.

"Ah, yes. I've seen her loyalty. Even in the night meetings. I think Dahlia and I could arrange it. Bring her by next week ready to go." Leonard said.

The girl finally smiled. It scared Claudia. The girl held a malicious smile, her teeth were like daggers. Claudia continued to slowly eat with more mannerism. She usually would slurp her spaghetti and make a lot of noise, but this time she knew her father would more than likely beat her for it. Claudia wasn't completely paying attention to what they were saying. She knew it wasn't anything about her. She was beginning to bore of this dinner party. She knew it never was meant to entertain her. "Have you heard of Dahlias new idea?" The man beside Kaufman asked.

Claudia's eyes shot to him. What was he talking about Dahlia for? "No, I don't believe I am aware." Leonard said concerned.

"Well, she intends to bring salvation as fast as possible. She says the only way to do that is-" Leonard cut him off by pointing at Claudia.

"Oh, I will explain to you maybe a little later then?" The man asked fixing his tie.

"Yes. We shall." Leonard said shooting a narrow glance at Claudia

Claudia wanted to know. Was something going to happen? Claudia finished her food around the same time everyone else did and she began clearing the plates away. She put them in the sink and began washing them. She watched her father and the guests head into the other room. She tried to listen hard. She could hear some of it.

"….Was it…. Wanted to tell…?" She could hear her father's voice.

"Dahlia… birth…Alessa…soon"

Claudia paused from washing the dishes.

"How?" She heard her father's outrage.

She heard mumbles but couldn't make out a single word. Claudia finished the final dish and ran to her room. She was so worried. Was Alessa going to be ok? Claudia picked up her bag for school. She began looking for her homework. Claudia started to do her math. She had a lot of problems with it. She decided since she was to be tutored she could just see Vincent tomorrow to help her correct it. She lay back on her bed. She decided to call it a night.

Claudia sat in class with Alessa. "Alessa, are you ok?" She asked.

"Yes? Why do you ask?" Alessa asked concerned.

"I was… just wondering." Claudia shook her head.

For Claudia, this had been a long day. She decided that since she would have time before she had to see Vincent, she would Visit Dahlia at the church on the way home. She opened the church doors and walked in. She knew her father and Dahlia were discussing duties around the church around this time. She walked in far enough to see Dahlia and Leonard talking. "Claudia?" Dahlia asked.

Leonard looked at her as if he was surprised to see her. "Dahlia, after you're done talking to my father, could I have a word with you?" Claudia asked.

Dahlia nodded. "Yes, I will be but another moment."

Claudia sat in the last bench. She couldn't hear them but she didn't care. She looked at the ground. She wondered how Alessa was going to be still. She needed to ask Dahlia. She knew she could trust her. She knew it would be ok, Dahlia never told her father anything that would make him mad. Dahlia walked over to her. "Now child, what appears to concern you?" She asked.

"Dahlia… My father and another man were talking about Alessa. Is something going to happen to her?" Dahlia seemed to know already what this was about.

"You mean about me bringing Paradise through Alessa?" Dahlia asked.

"Yes. Will this hurt her?" Claudia asked.

"Maybe we should take a walk." Dahlia looked back at Leonard before continuing, "We need a more, secluded place." Dahlia said putting her arm around Claudia's shoulder.

Dahlia walked Claudia around outside the church. "How do you intend to bring salvation through Alessa?" Claudia asked looking down as they walked.

"If I tell you this, will you keep it secret?" Dahlia asked.

Claudia looked up. "Yes. I promise." Claudia said feeling privileged.

"Alessa carries God within her as you already know. God is sleeping still and I would like to help her wake up. When she gives birth to God, we will all receive salvation and the sinners will go straight to hell. I would simply like to speed up the process." Dahlia smiled at her.

"Where will we all go when God finally awakens?" Claudia asked.

"The good souls like you and I will be brought into eternal paradise. There will be only good things there, nothing bad. Alessa would be happy too. She agrees that she wants to bring god, but I believe I should keep it a surprise for her. I think it would be better that way." Dahlia said to Claudia.

"Now go along now, I have much work with your father." Dahlia smiled.

Claudia nodded. "Thank you Dahlia." Claudia nodded.

"Think none of it, bless you child." Dahlia walked back inside.

Claudia walked down the street. She walked towards Vincent's house. So Dahlia wanted to bring God faster. That didn't seem so bad. Why were her dad's guests so worried about her knowing? Maybe they too were afraid she would warn Alessa. She didn't know why this would be something to hide from Alessa, but maybe it was for the best. Claudia walked up Vincent's path to his porch. Claudia knocked three times on the door and waited for an answer from within. She silently tapped her feet against the boards of the porch. Her feet were bare, but she preferred herself like that. Vincent's mother answered the door. Claudia smiled slightly at her. "You must be Claudia. Come in, Vincent's in his room reading; just walk in, he'll be happy to see you." His mother greeted.

Claudia smiled, "Thanks mrs… um…" Claudia paused not knowing what her last name was.

"Ms Duran. My husband, he… isn't around anymore." His mother said trying to get Claudia to understand.

"Oh…. I see. My mother is passed on." Claudia said.

"We haven't heard from his father in years. Vincent doesn't know why and if I knew, I would tell him. Well, no need to be worrying, go to him." His mother encouraged.

Claudia nodded and walked to his room. She looked around with her mouth half open. He had about four book shelves overflowing with books. She never met anyone who loved books this much. Some of them were books from when he was younger, while some were school related or just plain novels to enjoy. Vincent's was apparently transfixed on a novel right now. Claudia didn't disturb him right away. She watched him. The words he was reading were reflecting in his emerald eyes, his teeth were biting lightly onto his bottom lip as he read. She watched as his braces caught the light when he inhaled the air of his room. "Vincent?" Claudia called.

"Whoa!" Vincent gasped as he fell off his chair and onto his floor from shock. "Oh! I'm so sorry!" Claudia walked a step closer in worry.

Vincent's hands gripped his desk and his head appeared. His glasses were diagonal across his nose. "I'm fine." He said looking anything but that.

Claudia bit her lip to keep from laughing. She could have sworn she gave him a heart attack. "Are you ready to learn math?" He asked placing the book he was reading to the side.

"Yes, I brought some work too." She said holding her bag.

"Excellent. Come sit here." He patted the chair next to him.

Claudia sat down. He taught her how to do a lot of things and suddenly, this unit of math didn't seem so hard. It was about four and Claudia felt it was time she left. "Well, thank-you so much, for all the help." She smiled at him.

"Your welcome, believe me its nice hanging out with someone other than myself or my mom. I usually don't have people over." Vincent looked somewhat sad.

"Why not?" Claudia asked.

"People don't like me. They, usually just think, I'm a nerd so I'm not going to get anywhere in life." Vincent said to her.

"Well, I don't think so at all. Maybe it's just because I've been treated poorly by them as well." Claudia said to him.

They smiled at each other in an understanding way. "Would you like to stay for dinner?" Vincent asked her.

"I can't… I've got to make dinner at my house for father. But thank you so much." She smiled.

"Well, sometimes when he's not around, maybe you can." He said to her.

"Yeah, I will have to. I should go now though. Dinner time is soon. Thanks for the help." Claudia said picking up her stuff and heading for the front door.

"Come back anytime, Claudia." Vincent said to her as she left.

"I will!" She smiled leaving.

Claudia walked down the street with a big smile on her face. She was so happy to have a friend like Vincent. He was a sweet guy. She never knew guys that were nice to her like he was. Claudia walked into her house and hummed a song she heard on the radio. Claudia walked over to the fridge and began digging out some rice and chicken. She looked to her left to see her father standing beside her. She stopped humming automatically. "What were you doing at the church?" Leonard asked looking extremely angry.

"Nothing, I was talking to Dahlia about important things of my own." Claudia said to him feeling a strike of fear through her already fast beating heart.

"What did you two talk about?" He asked.

"Nothing!" She said.

She felt pain on her cheek and then her back hitting the counter painfully. "Don't you dare lie to me Claudia! I know how you love to lie." Leonard yelled at his daughter.

"I can't tell you!" She said.

She knew from the moment she spoke it was a bad move to tell her father that. He grabbed her by her neck and threw her into the living room floor. She cried out with pain. "What has she been filling your head with!" He yelled.

"Nothing! It was just some personal issues!" Claudia tried to tell him.

He punched her face hard. Claudia realized she was unable to open her left eye. "Tell me everything!" He yelled.

"Ok, just please, don't hurt me anymore!" She sobbed.

"I won't have you if you tell me you ugly little bitch!" He yelled back at her.

"I asked her about Alessa and that's it! I asked her if she was ok, and she told me she was fine!" Claudia cried back holding her eye.

"Is that all she said to you?" Leonard asked.

"Yes." She lied.

Leonard looked satisfied but then smiled deviously. "I think you deserve an extra beating, just for not telling me right when I asked."

Claudia felt her body go numb when she realized what he was saying. "No, please…. You said you wouldn't…" She felt tears of fear drip down her cheek.

"Well, I lied, much like you did." He smiled before grabbing her arm.

She was pulled to her feet. He pulled her up the stairs. Her legs gave out under her and he dragged her rest of the way. She watched him go to his room. She laid there on the ground. She felt useless and so mentally and physically tired. He came out with a belt of his. She watched him move her onto her knees. He pulled her shirt up at the back so her entire back was bare. She felt the first slash across her back. She knew it was cutting her beautiful pale back. She sobbed at the pain but didn't say a word. He slashed her three more times. "Now, go to bed… I don't think you should be eating tonight." He said to her.

When he walked away she crawled to her room. She climbed up onto her bed and began to cry so loud she had to cover he face with a pillow. Why did she deserve this? Was she really such a horrible girl? She hated herself. She hated her mind, her heart, her body and her soul. She was stupid. She wanted to hurt herself, but she knew she shouldn't. That was only going to make things worse. She didn't deserve everything she had. She didn't deserve friends. That was why her mother was dead, according to her father. "I shouldn't have been born…" Claudia said before she cried herself to sleep.


	7. The long Sleep

Authors Note: This chapter took me less time than before but it still really good quality. I hope you enjoy it.

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Claudia walked to her locker. Her beautiful blond hair covered her eye. She didn't want anyone to see it. She wore a gray sweater to cover her arms. Claudia was depressed because she couldn't see but she supposed she would be ok. She just needed to hide it from everyone. Alessa always knew, but she figured Vincent wouldn't notice. She didn't want him to notice. "Claudia!" Alessa walked over smiling.

Claudia watched Alessa's face fall. "Again? Last night?" She asked.

Claudia nodded. "Why didn't you come see me?" Alessa asked.

"I couldn't, I didn't even eat last night. I wasn't allowed to do more than lay in my room. After all I went through, I couldn't move." Claudia explained.

Alessa hugged her friend. "After school come to my house, I'll take the pain away." Claudia nodded.

"I just have to keep this over my eye…" Claudia said.

"What did he do?" Alessa asked wanting to move her hair.

"He punched my eye." Claudia looked sad.

"Well, after school it will be all better again." Alessa promised.

Claudia picked up her stuff and headed for her class. Claudia had a very productive morning, since no one really liked her, she didn't need to worry about people trying to see her face. She we relaxed during first period, but she became extremely worried as she entered math. She kept her hair in place over her eye. She watched Vincent walk in from her uncovered eye. He smiled at her. "Cold today?" He smiled.

"Just a little chilly." She smiled back.

He tilted his head at her hair covered eye. "Why is your hair coving your eye?" He asked.

"No reason." She smiled.

He smiled but didn't look like he believed it. He went to sit at his desk. Claudia knew this would be a bad class hour.

She left class as soon as the bell had wrung. She didn't feel too good at all. Her body was sore and she wanted to go home and rest. Her afternoon classes were easier but she knew she shouldn't go home and rest. She walked to her locker after the crowd cleared. Claudia put away her books and began heading to find Alessa. They were going to have lunch together. She walked down the hall keeping her eye concealed. She knew people would notice if it was uncovered because of the wild contrast between the wound and her palled skin. She spotted Alessa down the hall and jogged towards her. "Alessa!" She said as she got closer.

Alessa looked up and then smiled when she realized it was Claudia. "Want to go buy lunch now?" She asked Claudia.

"Yes. I'm starving." Claudia said.

Claudia had been too afraid to eat that morning. She got dressed and just headed for school. She never realized how hungry she was until she bought her lunch. She ate fast and felt so good when she was done. "Didn't you eat today?" Alessa asked.

"No. I was too scared of father." Claudia admitted.

"You need to learn to stand up for yourself." She scolded Claudia.

"You tell me this all the time. I can't stand up to him. He'll throw me out on my own." Claudia explained to her.

"Well you can't live your life alone. I would just call the police when he hurts you. They would at least help you." Alessa explained.

"Maybe…" Claudia agreed.

The bell ran after an hour of talking. Claudia walked up to her locker. She hummed. She was feeling a little better now that time had passed and she ate. She walked past many people in the halls. One of them was Vincent. Vincent had followed her. "Claudia! Wait." He said catching up.

"Hello." She smiled at him.

"What's wrong with you today? Please tell me." Vincent pleaded.

"Nothing… I don't want to talk about it." She said to him.

He stepped in front of her to face her. "Claudia?" He asked looking closer at her covered eye.

He went to reach for her hair. She backed up slightly. "Please, Vincent…" She sounded upset.

He made one more attempt and she didn't stop him. She wanted his curios face switch to that of complete horror. He looked upset when he looked at her eye. "What happened to you!" He asked worried.

"Please don't tell anyone." She pleaded.

Vincent shook his head. "I won't'…" He said to her.

"But…. Was it your father?" He asked.

Claudia couldn't answer, for tears began slipping down her face. She darted down the hall and left the school. Vincent stood there wondering how hard his new friend's life really was.

Claudia ran. She ran down the path leading out of her school. She felt the tears run down her cheeks. She just wanted to go through school without him knowing. She never wanted him to know about her father. She didn't know where she was going; but she knew she had to get there fast. She ran so far and so fast she wasn't sure where she was now. She looked around. The fog had rolled in. "Odd." She commented.

She looked around. She realized she was standing in front of Lake Toluca. She looked around. She could barely see anything. She sat down on the ground where she was. She was alone. No one would come out here in the fog. So many myths and legends pertaining to it made people uncomfortable. Claudia wasn't afraid. She loved the fog. It gave her invisible walls. She wished she was stronger and braver. She wanted to have the power to stand up to her dad. She wanted to have the power to make him stop hurting her. She stood up after a few minutes. She walked over to the railing. She looked down into the water. She knew about the many sailors lost at sea here. She knew it was a sacred place. She looked behind her. She could barely make it out, but she knew there was a statue of Jennifer Carroll here. She looked down at the water. "I wish I could protect myself from him…" She whispered to the water.

Suddenly, Claudia felt the fog completely surround her. She couldn't even see her chest; she didn't believe what was happening. She felt lightheaded. She could hear many voices, before she could say a word she collapsed into the water. She fell deeper and deeper. The last memory before she felt everything go black was a hand pulling her upwards.

Claudia woke up in a bed. She looked around. It was in her own bed she was laying in, but she didn't know how she got there. Her eye didn't feel pain anymore and her body felt ok after all. She was confused. She didn't know what had happened to her. She looked at her arm. And IV was stuck in her arm. She shook her head confused. She pulled it out of her arm and, she crept out of bed. She decided she would walk downstairs and see if her father needed anything. She walked past the mirror. Her eye was healed. She had no idea why. She stared at her own reflection. Something was different; she couldn't put her finger on it either. She shrugged and continued downstairs. She could sense his presence. Leonard was sitting at the table. It was as thought she could see him clearly without seeing him at all. "Father?" She asked as she walked into the kitchen.

He turned his head to see her. "Claudia, you're awake?" He asked staring at his daughter like she was a ghost.

"What happened to me?" She asked.

"Don't act stupid. You should know already." Leonard said to her.

"I'm not acting stupid, I don't remember anything." She said.

"You were pulled from the lake." Leonard said with a hint of annoyance.

"What?" She asked.

"Dahlia discovered you as she was passing through. She pulled you out of the water. Don't you remember anything?" He asked.

Claudia looked down. All she remembered was running. She stopped at Rosewater Park but everything else was blurry. "How long have I been asleep?" She asked.

"A four months. The doctors said from the shock of the water and how hard you hit the lake, you'd be out for a lot longer." Leonard explained.

"Four months!" Claudia yelled.

Leonard looked taken aback from this small outburst. He dismissed it. If four months had passed then it explained why she looked so different in the mirror. "Yes, you're going to have to take correspondence for the rest of the year in order to pass your classes this year. Those are all the doctor's orders." Leonard said.

Claudia looked at him. "Has anyone stopped here to see me?" Claudia asked.

Leonard looked annoyed by the constant questioning but decided she might as well know. "A few people. Alessa came by everyday this week, she was here an hour ago. That boy came by a lot in the beginning but he hasn't showed up for a two months." Leonard said to her.

"What's the boy's name?" She wondered feeling her heart beat fast.

"Um… Vincent?" He asked.

"Thanks." She said walking to the fridge.

She was so hungry. She opened up the fridge. There was a plate with some leftover chicken on it. She pulled it out and started to eat the pieces cold. Leonard ignored her. She Ate until nothing was left on the plate. She was thirsty. She grabbed a glass and poured an overflowing cup of apple juice and drank it down like she had never drunk before. She felt better now. She walked past her father and walked to her room. She lay down on the bed. So Vincent used to come by, but he doesn't now? Claudia was confused. It was hard to offend someone in your sleep so she presumed he was just too busy to come by. She decided she was feeling ok. She got out of her bed and walked to her drawer. She pulled off her grey nightgown and put on a long white dress, she'd been dying to wear it for a long time. She brushed her already nice hair, and headed down the stairs. "Where are you going?" Leonard asked.

"I'm visiting Alessa." She said.

"Be back before dark." He said to her.

Claudia walked fast down to Alessa's. She realized soon that she had to slow down. She was still very week from months of not moving. Her muscles were weak. She walked slowly towards Alessa's house. She walked up to the door after a long walk and knocked. "Claudia!" Alessa said excitedly.

"I'm so glad you're awake!" She said smiling.

"I've been asleep too long. You already look different to me." She smiled.

"Are you still finishing the rest of the semester through correspondence?" Alessa asked.

"Yes, in order to pass. I'll be back at school next year though." Claudia smiled.

"So, how's Vincent?" Claudia asked.

Alessa's face fell. "What is it?" Claudia asked concerned.

"Well, this is a bad time to get into this. I have to clean something for mother. I'll talk with you tomorrow." Before Claudia could say a word, Alessa shut the door.

Claudia was concerned she decided to visit him. He would be happy she was awake. She walked towards his house. She had a big smile on her face thinking about how happy he would be to see her. He would hug her and say he was happy to see her. She rounded the corner and came close to his house. She stopped for a minute. His door was opening. She smiled. He was walking out. Claudia ran over. "Vincent!" She yelled.

Vincent turned. She looked like an angel in her white dress. "Claudia?" He asked breathless from shock.

Claudia looked at his face. His acne was gone but the silvery braces still remained. Claudia went to approach him but stopped when she heard a voice say, "Sweetie, who are you talking to?"

Claudia turned. She felt as if her eyes had betrayed her. Lucy walked out of his house after him and stood beside him. "Claudia." Lucy smiled.

Claudia felt it. The punch feeling in her gut. She watched as she held Vincent's hand with powerful envy. Vincent looked really sad all of a sudden. Perhaps Claudia's feelings had reflected on her face. "Claudia, wait-" Vincent started.

Claudia turned in the other direction and prepared to stumble on home. Vincent didn't follow her. She was glad for that, because her tears traveled down her face. This was why Alessa didn't want to talk about him. Claudia waked in the house crying. She didn't care if her father saw her like this. She went into the kitchen and grabbed a drink from her fridge. She sat down at the table with it and sobbed loudly. "Will you shut up?" He yelled.

"S-sorry…" She cried covering her mouth.

She ran to her room, falling a few times and closed her door. She laid herself on her bed and couldn't sleep. The memory of Vincent and Lucy together, it was worse than any memory. She only wished she could feel something other than heartbreak. She would have loved for her father to hit her now; it would be the most wonderful time. How could she be so stupid? She wasn't pretty enough for him. She was worthless and unlovable. She laid there on her bed thinking of it as she sobbed most of her night away.


	8. The Ritual

Authors Note: Sorry everyone for taking so long to write more but I finally have more for you all to enjoy.

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Chapter 8

Claudia woke up the next morning sad still. She got out of bed and walked down the stairs sadly and walked into the kitchen. She didn't feel like eating but she decided to anyway. She went to her fridge and pulled out two eggs. She began frying the eggs. Her father sat down at the table and waited for her to finish. She made eggs, toast and bacon for him. She placed his plate in front of him with salt and pepper. She grabbed a piece of toast to eat and left for school, she wasn't sure how she would make it through this day.

She walked slow but knew she would get there on time. She plucked a leaf off a tree over her head as she walked. She looked at the leaf, it was orange. She dropped it on the ground after deciding she didn't want it. Claudia entered the school and headed for the office. She was told by her teacher to pick up work from the year. Claudia walked into the office. She stood and waited as the secretary helped the person ahead of her. She looked out the office window beside her. She looked at the two people walking down the hall. She froze when she realized one was Lucy and the other was Vincent. She swallowed. She was talking to him about something. He didn't look too interested though. He was clearly staring off into space clearly unnoticed by Lucy. Claudia watched him. He nodded every now and then. Suddenly his eyes rolled over to the office where she was. They locked eyes. Claudia turned fast back to the secretary who was ready for her. "I'm Claudia Wolf; I was supposed to collect my work." Claudia said.

"Ah, yes. I believe this is all yours then." The secretary held up a stack of papers and books.

Claudia grabbed them and stuffed them in her backpack. She was still weak so the books were only slowing her down. She turned to leave and almost ran into Vincent. She looked at his face. His silvery braces reflected in the light. "Claudia, are you ok?" He asked her.

"Yes, I was just… Surprised to see you after all this time." She lied.

They both knew it was a lie. Vincent nodded. "Yeah, it's been a while. If you need anything, or help with math-"She cut him off.

"I'm sure I'll be fine." She looked down and scooted past him to the doors.

"Wait." He said.

She stopped and was reluctant to turn around. She turned to look at him. "Yes?" She asked looking into his emerald eyes.

"Look, me and Lucy, its-" She stopped him again.

"I really have to go, Vincent." She said continuing on fearing the tears would come early.

He didn't chase her this time, but watched her go sadly. She ran to her house but tripped several times. The last time she fell she stayed there. She was under a big apple tree. She laid there on the ground. She sobbed. It was so hard to even look at him now. She wished she could heal her legs. They hurt so badly. She began wishing so hard they would heal. Suddenly, she felt them tingle. She slowly rose up. She didn't feel the weakness in them anymore. She began to run again. She felt the power inside her stomach. She wasn't weak anymore. She was getting stronger. At least her legs were.

She ran inside her house and up to her room. She was actually happy to be away from school now. She dropped her bag onto the ground. She felt the pain in her back as fast as she put it down. It made a thump on the floor. She wanted to see if she was actually helping herself when she 'healed' her legs. She willed her back to be ok. It tingled but no longer hurt. She smiled. She was doing things now, but how? How could she heal herself? She had a memory of Rosewater Park when she had fallen in the lake. Could it have been her prayer? "Maybe." She smiled.

Claudia began doing some of her work. She decided to work on one subject at a time. She started with English. She worked on it and completed half of it all in that day. She loved to read novels in that class and she did a good job at answering all the questions. Claudia decided after many hours of completing the work she needed to make dinner. She walked down the stairs and decided to get out the spaghetti. She began mixing the sauce. She looked over at the paper lying on the counter. A young girl by the name of Jessica Rideau was reported missing. Claudia looked at the picture; the girl had dark brown hair, brown eyes and a small frame. Claudia realized this was a girl from her school. Claudia shook her head. Some people could be so sick. She continued stirring the food. She felt relaxed by making dinner. She took the time to places the noodles in the boiling water and left them to cook. Claudia heard a knock at the door. Her father answered it. "Yes, go in the kitchen." Her father said to the person.

Claudia looked puzzled but watched. Vincent proceeded into her kitchen. "Claudia, I really want to talk to you." Vincent said.

Claudia looked somewhat upset by his presence but figured it would be a good idea to listen to him. She pulled out a chair and sat down. He remained standing. "I came to ask you if you wanted to come to my house and visit me." He asked.

"Visit you?" She asked.

"Well, if you don't want to…" He said turning away.

"Why should I?" She asked.

"I really need to speak to you in private." He said looking in the living room where her father was.

She sighed. She wasn't sure if she wanted to be going anywhere with him. She walked into the other room. "Father?" She asked.

"What?" He snapped.

"Vincent wishes to help me in math today; after I prepare your dinner may I go to his house?" She asked as politely as possible.

He looked over at Vincent. "Yeah, that boy attends church and listens well. I have high respect for him." Leonard smiled with the pride she had never been shown.

Claudia marched back into the kitchen and began setting up for her father, clearly nervous to talk to Vincent. He sat there watching her. "You don't have to rush." Vincent said.

She ignored him and began putting the food on her father's plate. She placed it on the placemat where he usually sat. She cleaned up and looked at the spaghetti. She wanted some but knew Vincent was waiting. She looked at him and signaled it was time to go. She walked past her father. "Dinner is ready." She said to him.

"Why don't you grab your work?" He said so it didn't seem so suspicious.

"Yes. I'll be back." Claudia said.

Claudia walked into her room and placed her math work in her arms. She walked slowly out of her room. She was afraid of what she was going to hear. She walked out the door with him but didn't say a word.

Claudia sat down on a bench at Rosewater Park beside Vincent. This is where he wanted to tell her the whole story. "Claudia, I could tell when you saw Lucy with me, it upset you. I didn't understand until a few days ago why." Vincent said.

He knows how I feel about him? He knows I care? She wondered. "Then, why did you go out with her?" Claudia asked.

"She seemed nice to me, she was the one who asked me. She took interest in me, and I don't have that happen a lot." He said.

"What do you mean?" She asked.

"She asked me the day you fell into the lake. I thought it would be ok. I didn't know you had a problem with us being together until she told me why." Vincent said.

"She told you! I knew she'd catch on!" Claudia said realizing she made her feelings somewhat obvious in class.

"Catch onto what? Claudia, she told me you hated each other since you were little." Vincent said raising an eyebrow.

Claudia blushed feeling embarrassed. "Um… Nothing." She said looking away.

"Anyhow, I've decided that since you two don't get along, I'll be with her when you aren't around so you don't have to see her. I'm not one of those people who ignores there friends for a girlfriend. Friendship is just as important." Vincent smiled.

"Yes… Friendship..." Claudia tried to choke out a humorous laugh.

"I'm glad you understand." He said smiling with his glistening braces.

"I have another question." Claudia said thinking back.

"Why did you stop visiting me after so many months?" Claudia asked.

Vincent's face fell slightly. "Claudia, you must understand, seeing you like that, it was too hard. I began to lose hope that you'd ever wake up. It scared me." He said looking down.

Claudia read other emotions on his face other than fear and friendship. She could feel something deeper but she didn't know what it was. "Well, seeing as how you have all your books, shall I help you?" He asked.

"Oh, please." She nodded.

She took out her books and they began working side by side on the bench to complete the work. Claudia was content working so hard with him. She felt like she was free. He finished up the last page with her. "Good, I think you're really catching onto this math." Vincent smiled

She smiled. "Why do you still like me, even though your girlfriend doesn't?" Claudia asked.

"Because, I've known you for a while now, and when I really like someone, I don't give up on them easily." He explained.

"Do you really like Lucy?" Claudia asked.

He looked down. "Yes." He didn't sound so sure.

"Are you sure?" She asked.

"Look, I don't think it's important to talk about this with you." He said.

She figured he was right. "I had better get back." She said.

"Yeah." Vincent walked her home.

Claudia talked with him some more. "Why do you refuse to answer my question?" She asked.

"Because." He said simply.

"You don't really like her do you?" She asked.

"Its not that I don't like her, its just that someone keeps getting in the way." He said.

"Who?" She asked.

"I'm not telling you." He smiled.

She figured it was someone from school. Claudia continued to walk to her house. "So, we're still going to get together to work on math right?" Vincent asked.

"Yes, of course." Claudia said.

"Ok, well, if you need me. My numbers in the phone book." He smiled to her.

"Ok." She smiled.

She walked in the door. She didn't see her father in the living room. She walked into the kitchen. The spaghetti was now in the fridge. She decided to pour a small bowl of it. She heated it up on the stove. She looked around some more for her father. He was in his room and the door was closed. She decided to leave him be. She took her spaghetti off the stove and began eating it. She was happy her and Vincent were at least friends. She still wanted more. Her situation was purely bitter sweet.

She finished her bowl and rinsed it off in the sink. She was about to head to her room when her father appeared behind her. "I'm going to church, you're coming too." Leonard said.

Claudia knew if she refused, she'd be beaten. She decided that since she'd never attended a night ceremony, it might be interesting. She put on her shoes and followed her father out the door.

They walked inside the church. Leonard led her further back in the church where she had never ventured before. The room was rather dark compared to what she was used to. There were followers all around talking amongst themselves. "Ah, you brought her, thank you Leonard." Dahlia smiled.

"Why did I need to be here?" Claudia asked Dahlia.

"Well, I'm aware you took interest in the clan." Dahlia smiled.

"Yes, I do." Claudia replied.

"We're allowing you to witness one of our rituals." Dahlia explained.

Claudia felt a bit of pride swell inside of her. Dahlia walked her to a seat. Claudia looked around at the members. They were all wearing hoods that covered their faces in shadows. Claudia felt a very uncomfortable feeling in her chest. She looked at the front of the church. It was as though he was on a big stage. Her father was standing there in his night robs wearing a hood as well. Claudia watched as her father silenced the talking church. "Today is the day we celebrate! For it is the day our victorious God created the land we stand on, the sky we look at, the air we breathe!" Claudia watched as the crowd cheered.

"But what has the world done to show gratitude? Nothing!" Leonard yelled as the crowd started up again.

"Today, I will offer one we have been saving for a while, to pay our God back for all the non- believers will not show her!" Claudia looked around at how captivated they all were by his words.

"Now let the ritual begin!" Leonard yelled enticing the followers to watch.

Leonard signaled two followers to bring out the sacrifice. Claudia was worried that they would bring out an animal to sacrifice, instead she froze as she saw them dragging out a woman. Claudia immediately recognized the girl. It was the missing girl, Jessica Rideau! She had tape over her mouth and wrists. Claudia watched as they placed her kneeling on the ground. They all watched excited. Claudia was scared she'd never saw a human die before. She didn't want it to happen. She wanted to jump off her seat and scream, but she couldn't even move. "And with one breath, our God came, she created the dawn and the water, and with that water, she created humans. She created blood that is pure, but soon, many became tainted. I will give this tainted blood to our God to become pure once again! I must pour all of it, my sacrifice with be for the good of our God!" Leonard yelled to the crowd.

The girl cried hard but knew she couldn't stop him. All of the cultists chanted, Claudia found it was very eerie. She watched in horror as her father picked up a knife. The girl looked at Claudia; she was the only one whose face was showing. Claudia and Jessica both exchanged looks of horror. The girl began trying to say something to Claudia but it was muffled by the tape. It sounded a lot like 'help'. Claudia looked into the girls eyes. Claudia suddenly could feel something. It was as if Claudia could feel the same emotions at the same time. Claudia began to cry silently. Claudia watched as Dahlia pulled back the girls hair so her neck was fully revealed. The tears streamed down her face. All Claudia could think about was all the people in her life; it was as though she herself was up there to be killed. Her father ran the blade once, swiftly across the girl's neck. The blood began to pour out. Claudia could feel herself being drained of life. Claudia fell on the floor. She began to twitch. She didn't know what was going on. Dahlia noticed this and went over to her. She carried Claudia as best as she could to the stage. The sacrifice has been made; my daughter was pure of heart, has taken in the soul of the girl. Now that her soul is trapped, we can give her to our God." Leonard smiled.

Claudia felt horrible now. She could feel the girl inside her. She wasn't just brought there to see the ritual, she was brought there to be apart of it. Claudia was dizzy. She was losing control of her body. Two other followers each tied a rope around both of Claudia's hands and made sure she couldn't move. She was seeing memories she never had. She saw herself blowing out candles on a cake that had the number twelve on it. She felt a woman kiss her forehead as she was tucked into a bed. Claudia wished these memories were hers. They were so happy. Claudia felt some liquid pour onto her head and then she heard strange chanting. All she knew was this girl was strangely apart of her. She wasn't sure which was real, her own thoughts or the girls. She was confused at to if her life was even real. Dahlia places a bowl under Claudia's head. Claudia felt a cut on her upper arm. She began to cry, it really hurt. Her tears landed in the bowl. Her father began talking again, she didn't know what he was saying, she was too lost in the girls memories. Suddenly Dahlia picked up her tears and poured them over Claudia's head. She could feel the girl slowly slipping out of her.

It was like a force was lifted from her body. Claudia suddenly regained her own thoughts and she was fully aware of who and where she was. She stood up and the cut on her arm was no longer visible. It was amazingly horrific. The dead girls' body was lying motionless on the ground next to her. Claudia looked at it sadly. This girl was special. She had an actual life. She was happy. She had dreams. Claudia knew all of them. Claudia wished that even if the girls' life was so short, that she could have been her. Dahlia undid her ropes and Claudia began to leave the church. She felt emptiness inside herself. She wished her mom was still alive. She would have given her a good life. Her father couldn't give her that; he loved her to be so unhappy. She hated it. She hated him for it.


	9. Dreams are Deadly

Authors Note: This chapter isn't the longest, but it will have things to come in the future in this so you won't have to pay attention hard to see what I mean. Please enjoy it!

Claudia was walking slower than usual. She wanted to see Alessa; it was Saturday so it was only chance to see her. She wanted to tell Alessa what had happened to her the other night. How she was used for the ritual, and how she felt now. Claudia knew why she was used, she was innocent. She hadn't viewed death before, she felt sympathy. She had enough sympathy to know that this girl had so much to live for, and her father ruined that, much like her did to her own life. Claudia walked up Alessa's porch and knocked on her door. Alessa answered. "Hi Claudia, how are you?" Alessa asked.

Claudia looked down. "Not great." She said.

"What happened?" Alessa asked letting her in.

Claudia looked around to see if Dahlia was around, but remembered she was at church with her father. "I was used in the ritual last night." Claudia said.

Alessa looked somewhat shocked and upset by this news. "What happened to you?" Alessa asked.

"They made me watch a girl get murdered and because I was innocent, I guess I stored her soul in my body until they pulled it out." Claudia explained feeling tears again.

"Oh Claudia!" Alessa hugged her with tears.

"The worst part is, the girls memories are with me now. I can feel her inside me. She had a big cake at her birthday, she had two cats, and best of all, she was loved." Claudia said to her best friend.

"I'm sorry." Alessa said.

"It's not your fault. My father ruined her life. Why would he do that! How can he do it so easily?" Claudia yelled as tears flooded her face.

Alessa hugged Claudia tighter. "I wish it would all go away." Claudia said referring to her pain.

"I know. I do too…" Alessa said to Claudia with a sad face.

They sat there with tears for a few more minutes. "We should both run away. Far away." Claudia said to her.

"We can't, I mean, I have my home here and you have Vincent." Alessa said.

"No, I don't really have Vincent…" Claudia looked sad.

"He's still your friend isn't he?" Alessa asked.

"That's all he'll ever be…" Claudia looked sad still.

"Well give him time, maybe he really likes you." Alessa smiled encouragingly.

"I don't think so but thanks for trying." Claudia shook her head.

"Well, I still have hope and besides, I can't see him with Lucy forever, she's not that wonderful with how she treats him." Alessa explained.

"How does she treat him?" Claudia asked.

"She's always arguing with him and wants him to do everything for her. She's not overly faithful either. She's always flirting with Ben Godric." Alessa said sounding annoyed with Lucy.

Claudia looked sad. "I should talk to him." Claudia said.

"No, don't, you'll just make it worse!" Alessa said.

"How?"

"Because Lucy will pull something on you." Alessa tried to tell her.

"She'll do what?" Claudia questioned.

"She'll tell him how you feel, believe me, she knows." Alessa said.

"Well, I'd still rather take my chances." Claudia said.

"I guess you should just do what's best for you." Alessa shrugged.

"Want to go for a short walk before Dahlia comes home?" Claudia asked.

Alessa smiled and nodded. They each left after Alessa put her shoes on.

Claudia said goodbye to Alessa after their day in town. They looked at all sorts of items but couldn't afford a single thing. They loved to look for things but they knew they could never have it. Claudia loved spending time with Alessa no matter what they were doing. They both just had so much fun together. Claudia walked inside her house. She had been working so hard on her schooling that she had everything except her math completed. She was saving that for Vincent. She packed up her completed work and began to walk to the school. She loved it when she completed subjects. It made her feel so happy. She felt so much more intelligent. She walked down the street under the big tree with all the leaves. She picked a faded yellow leaf. She looked at it and then put it down. She walked up to the office doors. She was glad it was Saturday because the office wouldn't hesitate to take her work; they'd be able to accept it fast. She set it on the desk and then left out the doors she entered. She walked with a small smile on her face, today had been such a good day. She walked down her street but suddenly stopped smiling. She saw Lucy and Vincent walking down the street too. She decided she wouldn't let this ruin her day. When Vincent got close enough to her she walked over to him. "So, are we going to work on Math again tonight?" Claudia asked.

"Yeah sure, what time?" Vincent asked.

"Um, whenever you feel like it." Claudia replied.

"What? I don't think so. You're my boyfriend; I don't want you hanging around her." Lucy smiled deviously at Claudia.

"Why so? Are you jealous or something?" Vincent asked as they walked on by.

Claudia smiled, she was going to see Vincent tonight and Lucy wouldn't be able to stop him. Claudia decided to go home and get her books ready. She walked inside her house. She ran up to her room and began sorting through her math work to see what she'd need to bring.

It turned seven and Claudia was sitting in her room after cooking a meal. Claudia heard her phone ring. "Hello?" She answered it.

"Hell, Claudia?" A male voice said softly.

"Yes."

"This is Vincent."

Claudia felt excitement in her stomach. "Oh, hi Vincent. What are you calling here for?" Claudia asked.

"I was wondering if you wanted to study at my house again." Vincent asked.

"Oh, of course, I'll be over in a bit." She said hanging up.

"Father, may I go work on school work?" Claudia asked already sensing he was going to let her go.

"Do what you want." He said not looking up from his bible.

Claudia walked out the door in her bare feet and headed over to Vincent's house.

Claudia walked to his door and knocked. Vincent opened the door and smiled at her. "Hey, come on inside." Vincent said opening the door all the way.

She smiled and walked in. His mom was reading a magazine at the table. "Hello Claudia." She smiled looking up.

"Hello." Claudia smiled.

"Wasn't Lucy suppose to be here tonight?" His mom asked.

"No, not while Claudia is here, they don't get along." Vincent explained.

"I can't blame her, Lucy is too bossy." His mom said.

Vincent went a little red but left the room with Claudia. Claudia and Vincent placed her books in his room and sat down. After about an hour of teacher Claudia her measurements unit Claudia had pulled out another unit. "So, what are you learning about now?" Vincent asked looking at the work over her shoulder.

"Uh, just Fractions." Claudia said.

Claudia looked at him over her shoulder and they both froze. His eyes were so beautiful and he appeared transfixed on hers. He looked at her lips, they were beautiful. He shook his head slightly and looked back down at the work. Claudia looked down and blushed. "Um… Try going by the formula your teacher wrote out." Vincent swallowed.

Claudia wrote out all the formulas and finally got it all done. "Thanks for the help Vincent." She smiled.

"Anytime, if you ever need me for anything I'll be here." He said.

She smiled. "Well, I better go home. My dad will be mad at me if I don't get back soon." Claudia said.

"Well, since Thursday is the first day of summer, would you like to get more help on the other units?" Vincent asked.

"Oh, yeah, just call me again." Claudia said not remembering it was so close to summer break.

Vincent walked her outside. "Oh no, its getting dark." Claudia commented.

"Are you scared to be out here alone?" Vincent asked.

"Yes, but don't worry, I'll be ok." Claudia tried to reassure him

"No, I should walk you home, I wouldn't be happy if someone tried to take you away." He decided.

He walked out the door with her and kept his head low as usual. "I can't wait for summer to begin. More alone time." Vincent said to her.

"I love to be alone; it gives me time to think." Claudia smiled.

"I hope that we can get all your work done soon. I really hope we end up in the same class again." Vincent said to her.

"Yeah, me too." Claudia agreed.

"Would you like to come over and spend the day with me Thursday?" Vincent asked.

"Oh, of course." Claudia tried to hold back excitement.

Claudia looked down. "But, what about Lucy?" She asked.

"If she has a problem with it then I'll talk to her." Vincent said.

"You know, she's not completely, faithful." Claudia explained.

"I know…" Vincent looked down.

"Then why are you still with her?" Claudia asked.

"I'm waiting for the right moment. Believe me, it will come." Vincent said.

Claudia didn't quite understand but shrugged. "Well, I'll talk to you later ok?" Vincent smiled with his braces showing.

"Ok, goodbye." She said shyly as she walked inside.

Claudia went to her room and prepared to go to sleep.

Fire, it was all over the room. She couldn't breath. She was huddled in the corner. She screamed. She looked down. She knew her door was locked. She looked out her window, the flames were dancing around the window, taunting her, making her wish she was free from the flames. She tried hitting the flames with her blanket. The flames wouldn't go away. She tried to run for the door and open it even if it was locked, but her hand became burnt. She screamed more at the pain. She needed help "Claudia!" She screamed.

Claudia was the only name that didn't make her angry; it was the only name she wished could save her. Her life was turning to ash. She could see hell, it was all around her. The fire burnt down her pictures on her walls, it burnt down her furniture. Her clothes were on fire now. The flames were burning her small body. She turned to see herself in the mirror. She grabbed her face. Alessa's face? She shrieked at the face in the mirror. Suddenly the flames reached her hair and then over took her face. "Wake up!" She screamed.

Claudia sat up and screamed so loud her father likely woke up. "NOOO!" She cried loudly.

"ALESSA!" Claudia cried loudly.


	10. The Calm Before the Storm

Authors Note: Sorry this chapter took so long, I've been a bit preoccupied with the returning of school. I hope you like this chapter just as much as the rest, in my opinion is getting more and more exciting. ENJOY!

Claudia ran out of bed and looked out her window. No smoke was anywhere outside; Alessa's house was just around the corner so she knew it had to be safe. She crawled back into her bed. She could still taste the bile in her throat. She couldn't believe her dream was that horrible. She decided that after a few hours of freaking out, the least she could do is try to sleep. She closed her eyes and forced the images as best as she could out of her mind.

Claudia woke up and knew she would have to make breakfast. She boiled some eggs for her and her father. Her father appeared fine with the eggs she made which helped her sanity. She decided to visit Alessa today. She finished up her food and left for Alessa's after her father went to the church. She felt the wind pass by her face. It was an eerie feeling. She walked around the corner. She could see Alessa's house, nothing was on fire, and everything was fine. Claudia shook the images of Alessa on fire out of her head. She ran up to the door. She knocked a few times. Alessa answered looking somewhat eerie. "Alessa?" Claudia asked.

"Yes." Alessa answered.

"Are you…. Are you ok?" Claudia wondered.

"Yes, I'm fine." Alessa said looking at Claudia with sad eyes.

"Then why are you so sad?" Claudia asked her best friend.

"Mom, she yelled at me." Alessa said with tears filling her eyes.

"Why!" Claudia wondered what Alessa could have possibly done.

"Mom is mad because I haven't given birth to God yet." Alessa explained with tears flooding from her eyes.

"Well that's not your fault, perhaps it isn't Gods time?" Claudia suggested.

"Yeah, maybe you're right Claudia." Alessa said cheering up slightly.

"Well, I just stopped by to see if you were ok." Claudia said.

"Why?" Alessa asked.

"I just… I had a dream and there was fire, and…. Don't worry about it." Claudia smiled. "You're ok and that's all that matters." Claudia nodded.

"Why do you have to go so soon?" Alessa asked.

"My father wanted me to dust, vacuum and wash the floors, but I suppose you could come with me if you really want to help out." Claudia said to her friend.

Alessa smiled and put her shoes on. She followed Claudia to her house. Claudia looked over at her friend. Alessa was a little shorter than her. Claudia was only 5'3 but Alessa was about an inch shorter. Claudia looked at Alessa's black hair. She wished she had beautiful hair like that too. Alessa was very beautiful and Claudia wished she was too. She looked down feeling some envy, but not enough to react.

Claudia looked at her feet; they were bare as always, she knew if her father saw her without shoes he would surely scold her. She had strong feet, so it didn't bother her to walk on the ground like that. She looked up because she knew she was right outside her house. She opened the door for Alessa and walked inside. Even though all Claudia was doing was chores, it was nice have Alessa with her; they talked about so many things.

Alessa decided to dust for Claudia. "Oh, you really don't have to Alessa." Claudia smiled.

"No, I insist." Alessa said as she began dusting the living room.

Claudia began mopping the kitchen. "Hey Alessa?" Claudia asked.

"Yes?" Alessa asked as she stopped dusting.

"Ever wonder what our life would be like when we get older?" Claudia asked.

"Yeah, I've always pictured moving away from Silent Hill." Alessa said to Claudia.

"Me too, I always wondered what it would be like to live in a big city, get a good job, and maybe raise a family of my own." Claudia smiled.

"Well, when you get married be sure to send me an invite." Alessa smiled.

"I wouldn't forget about you Alessa, I'd invite you over all the time." Claudia ensured her.

Alessa smiled. Claudia went back to mopping. "I've been having weird dreams lately." Alessa said slowly.

Claudia looked at her. "What about?" She asked.

"Fire and creatures, big moths, even lizards." Alessa said.

"Fire?" Claudia asked.

"I had a dream the house was burning, but I was running away from it." Alessa explained.

Claudia looked down. "What is it?" Alessa asked.

"Nothing, just I'm tired." Claudia lied.

Alessa smiled. "We're all tired, lately it's as though everyone is like Zombies." Alessa decided.

"Well, thank you for cleaning my house. I'd better go contact Vincent; I should really study with him tonight." Claudia blushed.

Alessa smiled. "As you wish sister." Alessa hugged her goodbye.

"See you tomorrow maybe." Alessa smiled.

"Yes. Tomorrow." Claudia agreed.

Claudia and Alessa hugged goodbye. Claudia watched her go, but suddenly a flash of Alessa burning crossed her mind. She shook her head and closed the door. She decided that meeting Vincent was something she should prepare for. She walked up to her room and decided to put on a nice dress and do her hair up in a ponytail. She smiled; she thought she was somewhat silly for wearing her hair like this. She just really liked him, even though he probably didn't want to be with her. She grabbed her math work and began preparing it; he was inviting her to his house for the rest of the day. She was happy. Her dad was ok with it so she decided to wait for his call. About an hour later he called her finally. "Hey Claudia, are you ready to come visit me?" He asked her sounding happy.

"Yes, I'm ready. I'll be over in a minute." She said.

"Ok." He replied.

They both said goodbye and she left for his house in what was almost a power walk. She made it to his house in almost no time at all. "Hello Claudia." Vincent smiled as she walked inside.

Claudia looked around for his mom. "My moms at work." Vincent informed her.

Claudia nodded. "That's ok. So can we get started?" She asked.

He couldn't resist her smile. He nodded. "Ok, what are you working on now?" He asked her.

"Trigonometry." She said plainly.

They began working out equations together and Claudia was so happy. They had finished her final unit in two hours. Vincent smiled at her as she packed up her stuff. "Would you still like to hang out?" He asked shyly.

"Yeah." She smiled.

"Well, I'm not sure what you're interested in doing, but I'd really like to go to the store, I've wanted to look through books….. If that's all right with you?" He asked feeling suddenly dorky for suggesting it.

"I'd love to! I was hoping to find something to read on the days I'm in my room all summer." Claudia decided.

Vincent smiled and left with Claudia.

"I'm glad you decided to come along with me, Claudia. I usually get so bored going out alone." Vincent said to her.

"Oh, no problem. I'm happy to spend time with you." Claudia said shyly.

Claudia looked around as they walked. They were inside the book store and it was quite small but it was full of books. Vincent began looking through the fiction section. "How have you and Lucy been?" Claudia asked.

"Not too well." He said casually.

She was baffled at why he was so calm. "What's wrong? Is she cheating on you again-" Claudia tried to stop herself but it was too late.

He looked slightly hurt but carried on. "Yeah, she is. I guess I just though that was the first time when I caught her." He said.

Claudia looked down. She picked up a book that read 'White Lily' on the cover. She read the back and decided it was the book she liked. She had a bit of money from what she took out of her dads change and from helping clean Dahlias house occasionally. Vincent picked up four medium sized novels. "Wow, so many?" She asked him.

"I need something to preoccupy me until the end of this week." Vincent said seriously.

Claudia was stunned. "I'm kidding; I can't read that much in one month." He smiled going up to the cash register.

She paid for her book and was broke after that. "Claudia, would you like to get something to drink?" He offered.

"Oh, I have no more money, but you can get whatever you want." She smiled.

"No, I'll pay, I was offering." He smiled.

"No, I can't ask you to do that for me." She shied away.

"No, I won't hear of it, I'm buying you your drink, now tell me what kind of drink you want from the Coffee Shop or you'll get what I order." He said to her.

Claudia smiled at him. "Hazel nut." She replied.

"Ok, two hazel nuts it is." He smiled going inside and getting them their drinks.

"I had a really fun time Vincent. Thanks for having me over, I really love it." Claudia smiled when they walked back inside his house.

"Not a problem, when my mom gets off work she was going to make us some macaroni salad, potato salad, seasoned chicken and some carrots from out garden." Vincent said.

The sounds of that made her mouth water. Claudia followed Vincent to his room. "So, what marks did you get this year in school?" Claudia asked him.

"In English, I got 98, in math I got 96, in History I passed with 97, and in instrumental I got 95, I didn't do as well as I had hoped in Instrumental, I assume the Clarinet isn't my specialty. I got 96 in Science and the same with French. I passed Art with an 80, I was very disappointed and for my final class, my writing course, I received a 98." He said casually.

Claudia was stunned. "What did you get?" He turned to look at her.

She had gotten no higher than an 89 in science and an 87 in English. "Oh, I didn't get my marks back yet." She lied.

He shrugged. Claudia looked on his desk. A vampire novel sat on his desk. "Oh, I had no idea you liked these." She smiled picking it up.

Before she could read the label on the back he snatched it out of her hands. "Yes, well, nothing to see here." He flung it over his shoulder so it landed on his bed with a tiny thud.

"What book did you buy?" He asked changing the subject.

"White Lily." She smiled.

"What's it suppose to be about?" He asked, curious at the girly title.

"It's about a girl who doesn't fit in, and it talks about how she plans to change so she likes the way she is instead of caring what others feel." Claudia said to him.

"That sounds like it could be a good novel." He encouraged, even though he didn't like the sounds of it as much as some of his novels.

"I could really use it. I don't fit in, and I really don't like who I am." She said.

"Well, I wouldn't change you, there's nothing wrong with you, you're wonderful the way you are." He assured her, meaning all that and so much more.

She blushed. "Vincent I'm home!" His mother called.

Vincent and Claudia walked out of his room and into the kitchen. We'll be eating in twenty minutes, I've got almost everything prepared I just have to heat the chicken and carrots up." She said to him.

Claudia was sitting at the table talking to Vincent after dinner. "People used to pick on me all the time in school. They used to call me all sorts of names. Geek, Nerd, deadbeat, they just hated me." Vincent said pushing his glasses up.

Claudia looked down. "They've always been making fun of me. I got a slushie poured down my shirt last summer. The football kids hate me that much I guess." She allowed her long bangs to cover her eyes.

Vincent didn't speak. Claudia looked up at him after a moment. "Who did that to you?" He asked.

"Jimmy Vance, he and his pack of friends did it. Why?" Claudia wondered.

Vincent pushed up his glasses. "No reason." He looked at the clock. "Well its getting late and I know how impatient your father is with you returning.

"Yes, I should go." Claudia got up and walked towards the door.

"I'll walk you home." He smiled.

She smiled back at him and headed out the door.

Claudia felt something uneasy as they walked. Something in the air wasn't right. There was stillness. Like the calm before the storm. Claudia suddenly caught a scent of something in the air. Vincent looked back at her. "That smell…" He said.

Claudia paused, her heart was racing. "Fire!" She screamed running for an orange glow up ahead. It was in the direction of Alessa's house. Vincent chased after her. She began to scream as she saw it was Alessa's house. "NO! ALESSA!" She yelled with tears running down her face.

Vincent grabbed her arms to stop her from charging inside the burning building. The fire trucks were trying to put it out. "It'll be too late! She's already dead." Claudia cried to Vincent.

He felt his own eyes begin to water. He held onto her to stop the tears. Claudia's screams and cries went on forever, once they stopped emerging physically, they still carried on mentally in her head. This was the sorrow of an already broken girl, which no one could save.


	11. Sweet Seventeen

Authors Note: This is going to be one of the best chapters I think I've written so far. I bet you'll all like it alot. Enjoy!

Claudia had been very upset since Alessa had died in the fire. She had spent the rest of her summer going to just therapy at first, until her doctor felt she should stay at the hospital for a while until she got over the shock. She remained in the psychiatric ward until she appeared to be back to normal, she decided to start her schooling after Remembrance Day, November 11. She had learned her work while being tutored in the hospital by some of the staff. She was caught up on all of her work by the time she was ready to go back.

She had been suffering for months from the death. No one seemed to know how the fires had started but everyone speculated it was Dahlia. Claudia hadn't spoken to Dahlia for months so she wasn't quite sure what to expect from her. She missed Vincent very much; she couldn't help but to think of the night of the fire. He had held her so close to him that she wished he never had to let her go. It was a bitter sweet bliss. He told her to contact him if she could, she felt bad because the nurses wouldn't let her contact anyone, just her father.

Claudia didn't want to go back home, she knew what was waiting for her there. Her father paid a lot of money to put her in the hospital and to give her the proper treatment she needed. She knew he would be very angry with her. She was numb, but acted like she wasn't.

She walked home with her father. He was angry at her, he had hated her. He didn't like spending money on her. He hated doing things to help her. She knew as soon as she entered that house, as soon as she took off her shoes, she'd feel it, the burning fear in her chest as she begins to yell. The slap across the face. The belt across the back. She'd been there before. She didn't like it, but she knew she had to keep on going; there was no use hiding from it.

"Claudia….. You put me through a lot after your stupid friend died. I had to pay for everything for you! I had to waste all my earnings as a preacher to give to a sinner like you!" Leonard yelled when they got inside.

"Sorry father." She said almost robotically.

"Sorry will never cut it." He yelled.

She felt a pain in her cheek as she fell to the ground. She had been slapped. He pulled her hair up so she had to face him. "Why couldn't you have just died like your mother?" He whispered.

He dropped her and stormed to his room. She couldn't move, and she didn't cry. She was surprised by the little effect this took. She decided to get up and go to her room. It was eight, she needed to wash herself and then get to bed. School was tomorrow.

She walked to school, her cheek didn't bruise, but her cheek still hurt from yesterday. She walked into her school. Everyone began whispering as she walked down the long halls to her new class. She plunked her books down on her desk. She sat there through class and got her locker and her work done. Claudia hated school, but it was apart of life. She walked downstairs where the halls were clearer and stood in amazement. Vincent had his hair beautifully done, his acne was completely gone and his braces were replaced by amazing white teeth. "Claudia." He smiled talking a little better without the braces in his way.

She smiled at how handsome he was. He walked over and gave her a hug. "I missed you. How are you?" He asked letting her go.

"I'm fine." She lied.

Lucy walked by and looked at them both loathingly. "What's wrong with your girlfriend?" Claudia asked.

"What girlfriend?" He smiled.

Claudia could hardly believe it, he wasn't with Lucy anymore. Claudia followed him to the lunch room. "Why did you break up with her?" Claudia asked.

He smiled and laughed softly. "I'm surprised you don't know." He looked at her.

She looked puzzled. "I won't tell you, until you figure it out." He smiled.

She shrugged it off and ate lunch with Vincent.

Claudia made it successfully through her first semester and was coursing well through her second semester at school, but even still, not all was well. She found herself suffering through multiple mental breakdowns. She would cry every night, wishing for the salvation she had lost in the horrible fire. She missed talking to her best friend, she missed hugging her, she missed everything about that wonderful girl. She was so lonely.

She cried alone in her room. She had to pull the pillow over her face to stop the shrieking madness still blaring in her skull. She finally calmed herself down for one night, but nothing she did could ever make the screams go away forever. She lay down in her bed.

She had talked to Dahlia a lot during the last week, and Dahlia only encouraged Claudia to pray, and do what's best for her health. It appeared that Claudia was the only one who cried over Alessa anymore, Dahlia didn't appear sad at all anymore. Claudia wiped away her tears. She sat there.

She had talked to Dahlia today. Dahlia told her she would help her on the road to salvation. Claudia wanted to travel that road one day, but only if she accepted Dahlia's offer to teach her. Claudia knew her father had become extremely bothered by Dahlias behavior. She talked of nonsense all the time. Claudia was supposed to let Dahlia know by the weekend. Claudia had three days to decide. She was going to talk to her father about her decision this morning. Claudia walked down the stairs. "Father, I have a request." Claudia said knowing, that this would probably be the end of her life.

"What?" He wondered grumpily.

"I would like to accept Dahlias offer to be taught how to follow the road of salvation. She would love to teach me, I would love to learn. Please father, may I accept?" Claudia wondered.

His face grew red. She felt the air in the room grow hot. "How dare you ask me that?" He said so calmly it was terrifying.

She knew he was raging, he only sounded calm when he was about to hurt her badly. Claudia was sick of his control over her, she was seventeen in a day, and she deserved to make her own decisions. "I ask you, because it's what I want." She replied almost surprising him.

"You sound like your mother." He growled throwing the chair aside.

She jumped but refused to give into his rage. After the last time he tried to beat, the night she came home from the hospital, she hadn't felt the pain anymore. She was convinced she was used to the pain now. "Try and stop me father! I'm growing stronger than you can control!" She yelled back.

He sat there stunned. She was enraged; she was tired of being wrong. She could feel the fury of hell traveling up her body. She hated her father; she hated her school, her classmates, and her teachers. She hated them all. Her father always told her she couldn't be happy, she couldn't be pretty and she couldn't be loved. She wanted to rebel for once. She climbed the stairs fast and ran to her room.

She had been given many gifts from people at the hospital. She received makeup and some jewelry from some of the friends there. She had been told never to use them by her father, but today was the day. She was sick of her face. She looked in the mirror; she began applying the short black eye pencil to her eyes. She was giving herself the look of a cat. She looked at her eyes when she was done, they were beautiful. She pulled out the light red lipstick. She rolled it over her lips and gave them some colour. Her face was missing something. She looked at her raiser she usually used for her legs. She looked at her eyebrows. She hated how the girls at her school looked at her. They crunched up their eyebrows as they looked at her. She furiously shaved her left brow. She began to so the same to the other side. This looked much better to her. She looked neutral, not surprised not sad. She was mysterious now. She placed the friendship bracelet her friend from the hospital gave her on her wrist and put a beaded matching necklace around her neck. She brushed her hair so it bounced out beautifully. She loved how she looked now. She was beautiful, and no one could stop her from feeling this way. She grabbed her school bag and ran downstairs. Her father was holding his chest. She didn't care. She ran out the door and to the school.

Everyone stared as she walked down the hall. She watched as Vincent began to follow her. "Claudia, you look beautiful." Vincent said to her.

"Thanks, I was hoping so." She carried on.

He didn't follow her do to the crowd gather behind her as she walked. All the men at the school stared in wonder while the girls stared in disgust. Vincent pushed up his glasses and walked down stairs.

Claudia made quite the impression that day, not even Lucy wanted to deal with her. She walked out of the school by herself. "Claudia!" Vincent's voice strained as he tried to catch up to her.

She turned to look at him. "Vincent, I'm so glad to see you." She smiled.

He smiled. "I remembered that your birthday is tomorrow. Would you be able to spend the day with me?" He asked her.

Claudia was flattered. She'd never had anyone want to spend a day with her. "Why, yes. I would love to spend the day with you." She smiled with a glow in her beautiful face.

"Ok, I'll see you tomorrow." He smiled pushing his glasses up.

Claudia smiled and began to walk home. She stopped suddenly. "Is this a date?" She wondered.

She practically skipped home. She was so happy; she was going to see Vincent. Tomorrow was likely going to be the best Saturday of her life. Claudia entered herself to hear the silence. Her father was no where to be found. When she walked upstairs his room was closed tightly. She figured he was resting. She left him alone, but became incredible curious when he didn't emerge from his room for dinner. She didn't' mind, she didn't want to see him all too much anyhow.

When Claudia woke up the next morning she was wide awake and ready to see Vincent. He had phoned her last night to tell her he would come and get her. She decided she wanted to look just as beautiful as she had yesterday. She put on a light pink skirt and a long white sleeved blouse that buttoned up at the front. She had emerged from her shower soaked and wet, but quickly dried her hair and combed it straight. It looked beautiful. She applied less makeup compared to yesterday but she still wore enough to notice it lightly around her eyes and on her pale lips. She snapped the lid on her lipstick. Her lips sparkled lightly but didn't stand out. She walked downstairs and began to wait for Vincent to come knocking on her door. She smiled to herself. She was so happy Lucy was now out of the picture. She had the opportunity to have him one day. She just didn't know if she had the courage to tell him how she really felt about him. Three consecutive knocks on her door broke her from her thoughts. She glided her way to the door and opened it. Vincent locked eyes with her. He was dressed in black pants and a white button up shirt. He was absolutely breathtaking. "Claudia, I'm glad to see you're ready." He smiled shyly.

"I wouldn't want to miss this. Of course I'm ready." She replied.

"Come on, I'm going to take you to the amusement park like you wanted." He said.

She smiled. She wanted to go to the amusement park; it seemed like a fun idea. She loved watching the kids on rides and eating the bright pink cotton candy. Finally she was going to have a chance to do what those kids do. She walked out her door with him. "I'm really happy you asked me to go with you." She thanked him.

"Claudia, this is your birthday, of course I wanted to see you, and be with you on your seventeenth birthday." He assured her.

"What should we do first? Throw up then eat, or eat then throw up?" He joked.

"Hmm, throwing up first seems more appetizing." She smiled.

Vincent took Claudia on all the rides she wanted to go on. He even lit a candle on top of a cupcake for her. She loved it, because she hadn't blown out a birthday candle since she was little. Vincent wasn't much of an amusement park person, but for Claudia, he could deal with it. "Are you going to be ok? Do you need some time to recover?" Claudia asked looking at Vincent's sick face.

He nodded slowly looking a tiny bit green. Claudia assumed the spinning tea cups weren't a good idea twice in a row. "Vincent, I'm having a lot of fun." She said to him.

"I'm glad." He looked up and smiled at through his illness.

"I've never had a nice birthday." She said not looking at him, but at a rock on the ground.

"Why?" He asked puzzled.

"My father, he's never given me a good birthday. He finds it a perfect day to… Well, never mind." She said feeling her emotions growing stronger with sorrow.

Vincent was now fully recovered and looking at her with a look of fury and wonder. "He did what to you Claudia?" Vincent asked in an angered tone.

She looked down. "Nothing Vincent." She smiled at him.

He was about to say something when she stood up at pointed. "Could I get some? I love cotton candy." She asked.

He nodded decided not to push the question. He bought her the cotton candy and they both decided to leave the park. "The beach is beautiful at sunset." Claudia said as they traveled along the coast of Lake Toluca.

"Yes, it is, only it looks like the fog is going to roll in." Vincent pointed.

"Oh, I don't mind at all." She said plainly.

"I like the fog; it gives a lot of privacy. That day I fell in the lake, I was surrounded in fog. I was at peace until I fell in of course." She told him.

Vincent sat staring at the beach. He remembered that day so well, she had a black eye. It was an awful sight. He looked at her. "Claudia, that day you fell in, you had a black eye." He paused watching her close her eyes in defeat.

"Does your father beat you?" He asked ignoring the choking feeling in his throat as he asked her.

She paused. "Yes, Vincent. My father has been beating me for a long time." She felt tears.

"Why don't you stop him? Why don't you tell someone?" He tried to hold back his outrage.

"I can't stop him, I'm weak. The only person I ever told is dead now." She let a tear roll down her cheek.

"Claudia, please don't." He said watching her face hold back sobs.

"Oh Claudia!" He grabbed her around the waist and held her close.

"I hate to see you cry, someone so beautiful shouldn't feel pain or suffering." He stroked her long, straight hair.

"You think I'm, beautiful?" She asked.

"Yes, I always have, from the moment I saw you standing there in your living room, that day I came for the bible." He confessed.

Claudia began to feel a release. She stopped crying and now stared at him peacefully. "Vincent, you know that Lucy was only with you because she knew how I felt. Everyone could tell." She looked down feeling stupid.

"Claudia, I don't care if Lucy had feelings for me or not." Vincent said.

Claudia stared at him. "She's not the girl I want to be with." He pushed his glasses up.

They both felt stupid talking about how much they loved each other, but they just felt so alive and free saying it. They found themselves surrounded by fog. "You know, I never really loved Lucy." Vincent confessed.

Claudia looked at him. "No?"

"No, she just seemed so desperate I couldn't say no. Besides, she wanted more from me than what I wanted to give her." Vincent said.

"What did she want?" Claudia wondered.

"Lets just say the farthest I wanted to go was kiss her. She wanted to go much further than that." He pushed his glasses up resentfully.

Claudia looked down foolishly. "What's wrong?" He asked.

"I've never kissed anyone before." She blushed.

He smiled slightly. He touched the tip of her chin with the end of his finger to prop her head up. She felt the tingle inside her chest. She knew what was coming, and she was so happy. They closed their eyes. He pressed his lips against hers and they both enjoyed the softness of their mouths pressing against one another. Vincent began opening his lips slightly. Claudia did the same and allowed his tongue to pass through her lips. They remained connected through the mouth for a few minutes before slowly pulling away. Claudia held her eyes shut and turned in the other direction. Vincent was smiling broadly, although he looked somewhat funny like that. He looked up at Claudia. "Was it that bad?" He wondered.

"No, it was wonderful I can't believe you just kissed me." She said still not looking at him.

He leaned to the side so he could see the red glow of her cheeks. "You're really beautiful when you blush." He tried to make her blush more.

She turned to look at him. "Vincent, I'm not going to be at school anymore if I can follow through with my goals." Claudia told him.

"Why not?" Vincent wondered.

"I'll be training to be in the church with Dahlia." Claudia told him.

"Will I be able to see you still?" He asked.

"Yes, I'm sure I can still see you, just not all the time." She explained.

"Look, the fogs getting so thick, I can barely see anything." They both noticed as it surrounded them.

"Should we leave?" Vincent asked.

"No, I want to be here n the fog with you. I love how alone we are. I've always wanted to be like this with you, but I never wanted to tell you." She smiled.

Vincent leaned down to kiss her again. Claudia felt urges she couldn't control. She kissed him more passionately until she was on her back under him in the sand. "Claudia." He panted.

She gazed up at him blissfully. "Are you sure you want to do this?" He asked in fear.

"I want this. I really want this Vincent." She said to him.

He looked down. He wanted this too, but he was afraid to hurt her. She turned his face so he'd look at her. "If I didn't want this, I wouldn't still be here." She convinced him.

He leaned down for one last kiss before they carried on, under the covers of fog and the atmosphere of peaceful bliss.

(I was thinking of going into more detail, but I'm not sure if that would offend you, so review me and tell me what some of you think.)


	12. Sick Psycho Carousel

Authors Note: Sorry for going on hiatus, I believed I wasn't going to finish this story at first, until a few nights ago when I recieved a review to this piece. I was rather shocked anyone remembered this, and I'm rather pleased I got the review from Ink and Parchment. Thank you for reviewing you and the other few who did aswell. Unfortunately due to lack of response to the previous chapter, the sexual scenes won't appear in this chapter because I'm also unsure of anyone truly wanting it in here. Regardless, I apologize once again for the long wait, and please enjoy this next addition to the story!

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Chapter 12

Claudia lay on her back with a small smile stretched across her face. She had never been so happy in all her life. Vincent lay on top of her still. He was breathing hard. They both were sweating but happy. "The fog is clearing up." Claudia said.

"Yeah." He replied not moving.

"You should move so we don't get caught." She smiled as he groaned defiantly.

He rolled off her and lay on his back. She began putting her shirt back on. He stared up at the foggy sky. Nothing had ever felt so amazing in all his life. Claudia put her skirt back on and kissed his face all over. "I love you Vincent." She smiled.

"I love you more." He picked up his clothes and quickly put them on. "Its getting somewhat dark, should I take you home?" He asked.

"Yeah, I suppose so." She nodded.

He kept his arm around her waist as they walked. He wanted the whole world to know this was his girlfriend. He wanted the entire would to know how much he loved her. He kissed her cheek. She smiled. "I hope my dad is asleep, I don't want to see him." She said to him.

"I'm sure he won't bother you, not after what you told me you did yesterday." Vincent assured.

"You don't know my father that well." Claudia replied feeling nauseated.

They both walked up to her door. Claudia turned the handle. No one was in the living room. She walked in with Vincent. "Hey, could I use your washroom?" He asked.

"Yeah, it's in the room over there." Claudia pointed to the door in the corner of the room.

Claudia sat on her couch. Suddenly she heard footsteps coming from the upstairs. She closed her eyes. She began to pray he wouldn't hurt her. "Claudia." He voice snarled as he stood on the last stair.

"Father." She said calmly.

"How dare you act like that yesterday? So defiant! You gave me a heart attack, but yet you didn't try to help me. Show some respect for your elders!" He yelled coming closer to her.

"Father, don't…" She tried calmly.

"No Claudia, this is a very special day for both of us. This is the day of birth, and soon… death." He said holding a cutlery knife in his left hand.

"No!" She screamed.

"Don't worry; you'll be with your mother soon! You can tell her about what you have in common, the same death." Leonard yelled with rage in his eyes.

Claudia was already on her feet, but she felt like collapsing. "You killed…. You killed mother?!" She yelled.

"She wanted to leave me. She hated how I treated you. She was going to take you away from me. I tried to kill you back then the same way. She tried to fight me. I took from her what she promised me when we were married, her heart." He smiled deviously.

Claudia couldn't believe what she was hearing. "Now come to me and I'll kill you fast, if you try to run, I'll kill you in the most painful way possible." He promised.

Claudia tried to run into the kitchen to get through the back door but her father grabbed her hair. She didn't know what happened next, because she heard a bang, then someone falling to the ground. She turned. Vincent was holding the remains of a chair. Claudia back away from her father. He was passed out from the blow to the head.

"Vincent!" Claudia cried out in relief.

"Call the hospital, we'll tell them everything." Vincent said.

Claudia dialed 911 and watched for the ambulance. Claudia was in shock and couldn't cry, but she knew once the shock wore off she would cry hard. They took her father out on a stretcher and they listened to her recreation of what happened. The police believed her because on numerous accounts they've suspected Leonard Wolf to be that cause of some problems. Claudia arranged to stay over at Vincent's until Dahlia would be able to take her on the weekend. "Thank you for saving me, and letting me stay with you." She said to him as they carried some of the things over to his house.

"Not a problem. My mom is out on a business meeting for the night but I called her and she said as long as we slept in different rooms it was fine. Fortunately, she gets back at three in the afternoon tomorrow." He smiled at her.

"So you're going to share with me then?" She asked.

"Yes." He smiled deviously.

Claudia was upset that this all happened. She didn't know all this time that her father killed her mother, she couldn't believe it. She began to cry as soon as she entered Vincent's house. He crouched on the floor next to her and hugged her. "I miss my mom so bad..." she sobbed.

"I know you do. He won't get away with taking her from you. He'll pay." Vincent assured her.

"I know! But I miss her Vincent!" Claudia sobbed into his shoulder.

He held her and let her cry in his arms. He stroked her hair and began humming slow songs to calm her down. She stopped crying after a while. He kissed her lightly. "Feeling any better?" He asked her.

She nodded. "I think maybe you should lie down." He helped her climb the stairs.

She lie on the bed and looked up at him. "Did you at least have somewhat of a good birthday?" He asked.

"You were the best part." She assured him.

He put the covers over her. He climbed in beside her. "Claudia, I promise no one will hurt you like that again. I won't let them." He said to her.

"…Vincent, you won't always be here for me every second." She whispered.

"I can try." He replied.

Claudia knew in her head she was freaking out, but she had to stop. Vincent kissed her cheek and held her as she went to sleep.

She woke up warm. Vincent's arms held her close and comfortably. She snuggled in closer to him. She loved this feeling. She had a great sense of how being married to him would be like. She kissed his cheek, his eyes opened slowly. "Claudia." He whispered.

"Good morning." She smiled.

"Very good morning." He kissed her cheek.

"We should get up, I'll make breakfast." She said to him.

He lay there. "I'll be down in a bit." He said lazily.

She walked down Vincent's stairs. This was a wonderful way for her to wake up. She went to his fridge and pulled out all the necessary ingredients to make bacon and eggs. Vincent walked down the stairs behind her and put his arms around her waist. He breathed in the lovely scent of her hair. She smiled and continued making the breakfast. He kissed her ear lobs. She couldn't concentrate. "I love you." He whispered.

She smiled. "I love you too, now let me cook." She laughed.

He sat down behind her and watched as she placed their food on plates. She handed him his plate and they both began eating with big smiles on their faces. She was very excited. Her life was beginning to look up. She wasn't living with her dad anymore. She would be with Dahlia and Vincent was hers finally. Nothing could get better than this. Vincent looked down at his food and smiled in memory. She looked up. "What are you smiling about?" She wondered.

"You have no idea how long I've wanted to have you stay in my bed. It's a nice feeling." He said.

Claudia blushed slightly. He could always do that to her. She remembered the previous day. She was actually very happy they had that time on the beach. She smiled at him and continued eating.

Claudia went down to the police station when she finished eating. She told the police what happened and filled out her statement. She would have to attend certain court dates but she was fine. She had faith her father was going to be in jail for a good while. She decided to get some of her things packed because Dahlia would be by tonight to pick her up. Claudia went back to Vincent's

house and packed up all the things she used recently. Vincent watched her from the doorway. "Looks like your life is getting better, doesn't it?" He smiled.

Claudia turned to look at him. His brown hair dangled over his emerald green eyes. She smiled at him and nodded. She was excited to move in with Dahlia, she would be able to finally have a normal home. She would get to learn about her church. She was proud of this too. She decided this was the best time of her life and she wasn't going to waist a second.

"Vincent, you'll have to come and visit me, I know Nathan Avenue is a bit far but I'm sure a taxi could get you there." Claudia said to him.

Vincent nodded. "I'll come visit you all the time. I promise." He smiled at her.

She hugged him. He held her in his arms for a few minutes. Dahlia came to the door as he let go of her. "Have a good time." Vincent smiled at her as she walked out with her bag.

Vincent leaned in the doorway as Dahlia left with Claudia. Something about Dahlias eyes made him uneasy. He felt like this wasn't a good thing to live with Dahlia, but how could he object? She wanted this after all. Something in his gut told him this was only the calm before the storm. But what storm would this be?

Claudia looked out the window of the taxi as her and Dahlia drove away from the house. Claudia was nervous but in a good way she supposed. "Are you excited about moving in with me Claudia?" Dahlia asked her.

"Oh, yes, very much so." Claudia smiled.

Dahlia smiled. Claudia looked into her eyes. She had one of her feelings again. Something was there in Dahlias eyes, something she wasn't telling Claudia. Was it about the Church? "Claudia, theirs something you will need to understand once we get to my house." Dahlia began.

"Yes Dahlia?" Claudia asked.

"The cult has its secrets, the cult even has some bits of information you are to tell to no one. Are we clear?" Dahlia asked.

Claudia nodded feeling this might have something to do with her odd feelings. "Driver, this is our stop." Dahlia said as they arrived on Nathan Avenue.

Claudia got out and Dahlia helped her carry some bags. "I think you are old enough now to understand the seriousness of becoming a priestess like me." Dahlia said as they entered the house.

"Oh, I do. I know it takes much work and much faith." Claudia said passionately.

Dahlia chuckled, "I believe you my dear are ready for one of the main teachings tonight." She spoke softly.

Claudia nodded. "I'll unpack first and I'll be ready to learn." Claudia said.

Claudia took her bags to the empty bedroom. Claudia knew if Alessa was still alive this would be her room. Claudia shut the door and began to unpack all of her things. After about an hour of organizing everything Claudia was ready to hear more of what Dahlia had to say. "Claudia, I will ask you now to sit down and listen." Dahlia ordered.

Claudia did as she was told. "If you were a priestess, you would want to understand why our Gods birth is most important to us would you not?" Dahlia asked sitting down on the couch opposite Claudia.

"Birth of God did you say?" Claudia asked.

"I know this may be a bit of a jump for you. You were raised to simply worship God as she was written in our pages. Is this true?" Dahlia asked Claudia sensing the slight confusion.

"This is true." Claudia said, hiding the fact that she's heard some rumors about Dahlia the night of her fathers small dinner get together.

Dahlia smiled. "The birth of God is something that can be accomplished, but only with the correct vessel and the proper timing." Dahlia said smiling.

Claudia was clearly unsure about the sounds of this. Dahlia straightened her words up. "Imagine this. Eternal paradise, a place with no pain, no hunger, no sickness, no old age, no greed and equality throughout the world." Dahlia said to Claudia with a wide grin.

Claudia paused to think about this. All those things Dahlia listed, they were reasons for unhappiness in the past. What if the world could truly be like this? "Claudia, do you like the sounds of that?" Dahlia questioned, feeling she may have touched Claudia's heart.

"Yes, how is it possible?" Claudia asked eagerly.

"Through Alessa." Dahlia said suddenly taking the spark from Claudia's thoughts.

"Alessa is dead; you and I both know that." Claudia said choking back more tears.

"What if I were to show you one of the cults biggest secrets? Do you think you could keep it?" Dahlia asked.

Claudia looked down at her knees. Could she keep something if she didn't know what it was? "Yes, I could." Claudia replied.

Dahlia smiled. "Follow me; I will take you right to it." Dahlia said.

Claudia followed Dahlia out the door. She had no idea where she was being taken, but soon she arrived at Alchamillia Hospital. "The secret is hidden here?" Claudia whispered to Dahlia as they entered.

"In the basement." Dahlia explained.

Claudia followed Dahlia to the darkened hall of the basement. Claudia looked up to see a young and beautiful nurse, she was looking sad. Claudia didn't understand. Dahlia opened the door to a room beside the nurse. "In here." Dahlia coaxed.

Claudia walked inside, she saw a bed, IV packs and blood packs hanging over the bed, something was curled up in the bed. Claudia felt her heart skip a beat. "A-Alessa?" Claudia felt the tears begin to emerge.

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Authors Note: The more reviews I get the more inspiration I have to continue. Thanks to those who continue to review, especially my biggest fan, Kawaii1! 


	13. Teachings

Authors Note: Oh my... I'm terribly sorry, I've had this chapter written out for a long time but I kept forgetting to upload it. I hope you all can forgive me, I'll keep updating this, don't you worry.

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Claudia sat staring at Alessa's small burned body. Dahlia had told her everything, the reasoning for the fire, why Alessa was still alive and how Alessa still might be able to wake up. Claudia was having a hard time believing what she was seeing. Dahlias words scared her. She had burned her own daughter to bring forth the God inside her. "She can't wake up just yet Claudia." Dahlia warned her.

"Why not?" She questioned.

"Her soul has been split. The fire had caused the split, and currently I am trying to locate where the rest of her soul went." Dahlia explained the final pieces of the puzzle.

Claudia rested her face in her left hand and closed her eyes. "If you join us at the church like you wanted to, you could help me locate her." Dahlia said.

"Me?" Claudia was confused at what she could possibly do.

"In the scriptures, it states a disciple, a close companion to the mother of God. The disciple has the ability to see things no one else can, I know you can do it, I've watched you since that day you fell in the lake." Dahlia explained.

Claudia looked down, this was true, Claudia was special, but she didn't like to think of it that way. "If Alessa's soul really is split in two, it would want to return here one day wouldn't it?" Claudia suggested.

"That's highly possible. I just hope you're correct." Dahlia said looking at her daughter again.

"I would ask you join the Church next month, we will be leaving for a few months to teach the newcomers, this is the best way to teach, to take away all distractions." Dahlia informed her.

Claudia looked down, Vincent wouldn't be able to see her if that happened. "How long is it? When would I come back?" Claudia asked.

"At the begging of second semester you would be returned." Dahlia explained.

Claudia looked around. She didn't want to leave, but she wanted to learn of how to join the church. "I'll go." Claudia made up her mind.

"Good, I'll prepare you closer to the time. If you would like, we could work on more of the teachings if you feel you have the mind for it still." Dahlia offered.

Claudia shook her head. "Not tonight, I need some rest." She decided.

Dahlia nodded. Claudia stood up slowly, she was afraid to fall over due to shock. She walked towards the door, looking at the nurse. She now understood why the beautiful nurse held such a sad face. Claudia lowered her head and marched out of the building.

On her way home, Claudia began to slowly see things in a new light. The sky was beginning to get dark, she felt as if she'd been walking forever.

She didn't know how long she had been walking, or where she was going, but she needed to think. The new information in her brain was the cause of such a long walk. She didn't believe what was going on. Was this as evil as it felt? Who would burn their own daughter for a God to come? Claudia wasn't sure she wanted to know the reasoning behind the madness but perhaps it would be clearer and less evil in her eyes if she joined the church.

Dahlia was a good woman; she always wanted to help Claudia out. Dahlia was the head of the Church, why would a church lady do something so cruel if not for a good cause? Perhaps God was more important than humanity. Claudia wanted to know. No, Claudia needed to know.

"Claudia?" A male voice called out.

She looked up to see Vincent. Claudia looked around to see she was standing on his street in front of his house. "Vincent." She tried to smile.

Vincent's eyes sunk. Something was wrong and he knew it. Claudia knew he could tell before he even made his way over to her from his porch. Vincent placed his hands on her slender shoulders and looked into her eyes. "Please don't…" Claudia said tearing up.

"What happened?" He wondered, now concerned.

"Nothing, I'm fine." She lied to him.

"Dahlia did something to you, and I want to know what." He demanded.

"Vincent, stop." She said seriously through the tears.

Vincent didn't speak, but he stared her down. "I just feel sad because, this summer I'll be leaving for two months for Church and, I'll really miss you." She said.

Vincent seemed to buy this. His expression softened and he hugged her. "Claudia, don't worry, I'm going back to London for the summer as well, and I was feeling the same thing." Vincent said.

Claudia felt terrible for lying but she felt better just letting him hug her. Vincent offered to walk her home, but Claudia wanted to go on her own.

Vincent gave her a kiss. This made her melt even in her times of struggle. Claudia smiled a real smile, despite how goofy it looked from his kiss. He let her hand slip out of his before letting her make her way home.

Claudia walked faster to get home; she didn't want to get attacked by anyone. She walked up to Dahlias door and walked inside. She closed the door and locked it behind her. Dahlia was drinking a glass of white wine. Claudia felt as if she wanted some too. She shook her head at her own thoughts. Wine made people violent, as she knew from her father.

"Claudia, I hope I didn't upset you. If you need to talk about anything, I'm here for you." Dahlia said to her comfortingly.

Claudia walked over and hugged her. "I hope by the end of my teachings at the Church, I will have a better understanding of why these things have to be." Claudia whispered still hugging her.

Dahlia stroked her hair. "You will my child, and you'll understand better than anyone." Dahlia said to her.

Claudia let go feeling slightly better. Claudia walked to her new room and took off her buttoned top and her skirt. She looked at herself in the mirror. She still didn't see her own beauty. How come Vincent saw it? Claudia put her night things on and lay down on her new bed. She fell asleep under its comfort.

Claudia woke up to the sound of Dahlia knocking on her door. "Yes?" Claudia asked groggy.

"I've made you something." Dahlia said.

Claudia could smell food. "Oh, that's not necessary." Claudia said shyly.

"No, I insist, I wouldn't let Alessa go hungry and a certainly won't let you go hungry either." Dahlia said to her.

Claudia still felt sick at the mention of Alessa, but decided not to let it ruin her appetite.

Claudia got out of bed and walked down the stairs. She looked at the table to see eggs and bacon, nicely prepared for her. "I wasn't sure how you ate your eggs, but I felt boiled was a good choice." Dahlia said to her.

"It's fine, I love boiled eggs." Claudia said so not to worry her.

Claudia ate her breakfast and was so happy to finally be living in a normal home. Her father always made her cook and never thanked her for anything. She was glad that here, in Dahlias house she was appreciated.

"Thank you." Claudia said once she finished.

"Today I was planning on taking you to the Library." Dahlia said.

"The Library?" Claudia wondered curiously.

"I wanted you to sign out some books on our towns past; it should be able to give you some insight on why Silent Hill is a special place of worship to our Church. Even in our towns history it's foretold how God has impacted on this place." Dahlia said to her rather poetically.

Claudia gazed at her in wonder. She wanted to know this. It sounded so interesting to Claudia.

"When are we going?" Claudia asked.

"After lunch, but I suggest you make what you want of the hours between then and now." Dahlia smiled.

Claudia nodded and took her plat to the sink. The water poured onto the plain white platter and began picking up egg and ketchup particles under the taps current. Claudia watched the plate for a second before turning the water off. Claudia walked out the door without her shoes and locked it behind her. The birds were singing and the sky was bright. She wanted to know if Vincent was around. After walking a few blocks down the road, Claudia came across his house. Vincent's lawn was always beautiful. Strangely, Claudia found his grass to be the same emerald as his eyes. Those eyes were what she wanted to see once she knocked on his door.

"Claudia, how nice to see you." His mother smiled.

Claudia smiled. "Is Vincent here?" She wondered.

"He's in his room; you can go up if you want." His mother said to her.

Claudia could hear the radio once she walked up to the door. She never heard him listen to the radio before. She listened at the door and could hear heavy breathing. Claudia never took Vincent for the type to exercise, but perhaps that was how he kept in good shape. Claudia knocked. Vincent made a strange noise of panic and turned the radio off. Claudia heard some rustling before Vincent's head poked out the side of the door. "Claudia." He smiled.

Claudia read a look of stress on his face. "What's wrong?" She wondered.

Vincent looked her up and down as he shook his head. "Nothing." He smiled slightly.

Claudia stepped inside his room. She looked around to see everything seemed about normal, other than his vampire novel was open on his bed. She sat down on his bed and smiled at him. "So, what brought you here?" Vincent asked calming down slightly.

"Well, I'm going to go to the Library with Dahlia a little later and she told me to do what I wanted with the time I had before noon." Claudia smiled.

"I was just thinking of seeing you today as well, I'm glad you came." He smiled.

Claudia walked over and hugged him. She giggled. "I take it you weren't exercising before I came." She noted.

Vincent blushed. "Maybe you shouldn't have hugged me." He suggested.

Claudia kissed him. "Tomorrow, after school, I want to see you." Claudia said to him.

"Yeah, I can do that." He smiled.

"Good, I wanted to go for a walk up to the lake again, I like it at sunset." She said to him.

Vincent nodded. "Is anything else on your mind? You see to want to tell me something." Vincent said to her.

"Well, no, I just can't believe I'm in the Church group now." She lied smiling.

Claudia sat down on his bed and picked up his vampire book. "I wouldn't…." Vincent warned.

Claudia read the page he was on. She smiled and threw it at him. Vincent began to laugh as he caught it.

"Vincent." Vincent's mom said opening the door slightly.

"Yeah?" He asked holding the book behind him.

"I have to get some things at the grocery store, did you need anything?" She asked.

"Uh… Peaches." He said.

She smiled. "Ok, I'll be back in a few hours; I have to go to the bank as well." She informed him.

"Ok." Vincent said as she closed the door.

Claudia listened to his mom walk down the stairs and then out the door. Once Claudia heard the door lock Vincent smiled deviously. Claudia felt a smile creep across her face. "Two hours." He said plainly.

"No." She said smiling.

"Two hours." He said again coming closer.

She giggled and threw a pillow off his bed at him. He caught it and smiled even more deviously. Claudia ran out of his bed room laughing as he chased her down his stairs.

Claudia hugged Vincent; it was time for her to go back to Dahlias before going to the Library. "See you tomorrow." He smiled at her.

"Meet me at my locker." Claudia said to him.

Claudia walked up the street smiling as the sun beat down on her. She was excited to learn new things about Silent Hill and the Church in the process. She could hardly wait until she arrived at home. Dahlia was standing in the kitchen when she walked in. "Are you ready?" Dahlia asked.

"Yes, I am." She replied.

Dahlia picked up her purse and headed to the Library with Claudia.

Lying in bed, Claudia read through some of the history of the town, Dahlia had placed paper in different parts of the book so that Claudia could be explained where to stop for information. Claudia had just read about how the Town had disappeared after it was created by the settlers in the 1800's.

Claudia wondered why it had disappeared, but she assumed it was because of the Gods displeasure of people using the sacred ground to live and destroy in their own ways to make a community. Claudia wondered where the town had gone. No documents have ever been recovered or so her book had told her. Claudia was willing to bet Dahlia knew something about this.

These were interesting facts. She was hoping she and Dahlia would be taking more trips to the Library, reading was something Claudia loved to do.

It was late; Claudia knew she had to sleep so she could be up in time for school tomorrow. She and Vincent would be spending time together after school. She didn't want to miss that.

Claudia shut off her light and went to sleep.


End file.
